Norse Atlantic Airways has announced the start of flights between London Gatwick and Bangkok effective October 26th, which it will offer during winter 2025/26. As per its website, the British airline will provide two weekly services in November, increasing to four in early December, to be maintained until at least March 27th, 2026.
The Thai capital will become Norse’s first destination in Asia from/to London Gatwick, and the seventh in its network including scheduled and seasonal routes. For the first time it will operate between Bangkok and London, although the airline has previously flown to BKK from other European cities.
Schedule until November 30th
Tuesday and Sunday
Monday and Wednesday
Schedule as of December 2nd
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
Monday and Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday
Bjørn Tore Larsen, Norse Atlantic CEO, stated, “We’re excited to launch direct flights between London Gatwick and Bangkok, a top choice among our travelers. This addition not only strengthens our existing network in Asia but also builds on our routes from London Gatwick to destinations across the Atlantic and South Africa.”
Malaysia Airlines incorporates its second Airbus A330neo
The airline continues to expand its fleet with the acquisition of a new Airbus A330-941, which arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on February 18th at 11:16 local time from Toulouse.
This aircraft joins its first A330neo, registered as 9M-MNG. As can be seen through our database, the Airbus A330neo entered scheduled service for Malaysia Airlines on December 19th, 2024 with flight MH 149 between Kuala Lumpur and Melbourne. The Australian city is the main (and almost only) destination for Malaysia’s Airbus A330-900neo.
Malaysia Airlines fleet
- Airbus A330-200: 8
- Airbus A330-300: 15
- Airbus A330-900: 2
- Airbus A350-900: 7
- Boeing 737-800: 42
- Boeing 737 MAX 8: 11
9M-MNH is the registration of Malaysia’s second A330neo.
In addition, during February, Malaysia added four new Boeing 737 MAX 8s, joining other two incorporated in January.
Hong Kong Airlines to launch flights to Sydney
Beginning June 20th, Hong Kong Airlines will inaugurate services between Hong Kong and Sydney International Kingsford Smith Airport. In accordance with its press release, the company will operate one daily frequency with Airbus A330-300 aircraft.
Hong Kong Airlines reaches two scheduled destinations in Australia this year. Between January 17th and February 15th, it operated seasonal flights between Hong Kong and Gold Coast using the same airplanes.
Daily
Hong Kong Airlines Chairman Mr Yan Bo commented, “This is an important milestone for Hong Kong Airlines. In the past, we only operated flights to the Gold Coast and Cairns in Australia, offering passengers access to popular tourist hotspots in Queensland. Now, we are honoured to extend our reach to Sydney, the country’s most iconic city. This new route will enable us to serve a broader range of international travellers and is also a testament to the efforts of the two governments to actively support more bilateral air traffic rights. We are committed to providing passengers with high-quality services and competitive prices, ensuring they have more diverse and convenient options for their travel plans.”
During the event, Hong Kong Airlines President Mr Jeff Sun stated: “The three-runway system at Hong Kong International Airport has increased the capacity for additional flights, and with the support of the two governments and related organisations, we are delighted to become the second Hong Kong-based airline to operate in Sydney. This new service will promote tourism, economic and cultural ties between Hong Kong and Australia. Sydney and Hong Kong have a rich shared history in aviation, and we are proud to be a part of this new chapter. Not only will it bring convenience to travellers, but it will also serve as a bridge connecting with our extensive mainland Chinese network.”
Current frequencies between Sydney and Hong Kong
Sydney Airport CEO Mr Scott Charlton said: “The arrival of Hong Kong Airlines marks an important new chapter for Sydney Airport and strengthens the long-standing connection between Sydney and Hong Kong. This new daily service not only increases capacity but also provides passengers with more choice to explore one of Asia’s most vibrant cities.”
“I would also like to thank and recognise the Albanese Government for their recent work in delivering the expansion of bilateral air traffic rights between Hong Kong and Australia. The new services announced today are a direct consequence of these efforts and will boost trade, economic growth, and job creation.”
JAL resumes services between Tokyo Narita and Chicago
Through a press release, Japan Airlines confirmed the resumption of operations to Chicago O’Hare from Narita Airport in the Japanese capital starting May 31st. Flights will be conducted seven times per week by Boeing 777-300(ER) aircraft configured for 244 passengers in four classes (8 seats in First, 49 seats in Business, 40 seats in Premium Economy and 147 seats in Economy).
Daily
JAL’s Japan-USA market routes
Boston
Chicago
Dallas
Honolulu
- Nagoya (NGO): 4 weekly · Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
- Osaka (KIX): 5 weekly · Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
- Tokyo Haneda (HND): 13 weekly · Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
- Tokyo Narita (NRT): 7 weekly · Boeing 767-300(ER)
Los Angeles
New York
San Diego
San Francisco
- Tokyo Haneda (HND): 7 weekly · 787-9 (eff March 1st, with 777-300)
- Tokyo Narita (NRT): 7 weekly · Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
Seattle
As well as the restart of Tokyo Narita – Chicago, the airline will have changes in its international operations, and also within Japan.
International routes
- Tokyo Narita-San Diego and Tokyo Narita–Bengaluru will increase to daily effective March 30th.
- The Airbus A350-1000 aircraft will be introduced on the Tokyo Haneda-Paris Charles de Gaulle route as of May 1st.
- Tokyo Narita-Honolulu will increase to daily from July 1st.
- Osaka Kansai-Los Angeles, Kansai-Honolulu and Chubu-Honolulu will increase to daily as of July 18th.
- The Airbus A350-1000 aircraft will be introduced on the Tokyo Haneda-Paris Charles de Gaulle route on May 1st.
Domestic routes
- Osaka-Misawa will increase from 7 to 14 weekly flights as of March 30th.
- Osaka-Sapporo will increase from 21 to 28 weekly flights effective June 1st.
- JAL will increase available seats on the Tokyo Haneda-Miyako route by introducing the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft “JAL First Class Service” from August 1st.
We review other highlights of the Asia and Oceania market
The Russian airline launches two new domestic routes from Krasnoyarsk (KJA), which it will perform on Airbus A319-100 and Sukhoi SuperJet SSJ100 jets with 128 and 87 seats, respectively.
On January 28th at 08:08 local time, the first flight to Udachny Polyarny departed KJA, and 2 minutes later on the same day, the inaugural service from KJA to Samara.
Both routes will be conducted twice a week.
Udachny Polyarny · Sukhoi (Rossiya)
Tuesday and Thursday
Samara · Airbus A319 (Rossiya)
Tuesday and Sunday
Effective May 27th, Air Astana will expand its operations in Georgia with the commencement of flights to Tbilisi. The Uzbek airline will fly from Atyrau with Airbus A320-200 aircraft three times weekly:
Tuesday, Friday and Sunday
The carrier will add a new route to Russia from China, to begin on March 31st. Air China will operate Boeing 737-800s configured for 159 or 167 passengers, depending on the aircraft’s seating configuration.
Monday, Wednesday and Saturday
For summer 2025, Air India will strengthen its international regular schedule, increasing operations to Europe, East Asia and Africa. These new flights will commence as of March 30th.
Air Moana, an airline based in the Polynésie Française, will further expand its schedule by starting six new routes in July, as AeroRoutes announces.
Air Moana has two ATR 72-500s in its fleet, which are configured for 72 passengers, and are around nine years old.
The company has confirmed the suspension of its seasonal flights between Auckland and Seoul, scheduled to operate during 2025/26 season effective October 30th.
Due to ongoing challenges with engine availability, Air New Zealand was forced to modify its network, suspending this seasonal route to the South Korean capital. The company currently has three frequencies per week between the two cities, which will end in late March.
Monday, Thursday and Saturday
Current schedule
Jeremy O’Brien, Air New Zealand Chief Commercial Officer, said: “We understand this will be disappointing for some customers, and we sincerely apologise for the impact. Due to the ongoing challenges with engine availability, we have reviewed our network to ensure we are set up to operate our schedule effectively and best deliver for our customers’ needs.”
“We remain committed to providing seamless travel experiences for our customers and will work closely with our partners to ensure connectivity to Seoul remains accessible, and we would like to thank customers for their patience and understanding while we work through this change as well as our wider fleet constraint challenges.”
“We are always reviewing demand and assessing our flying schedule. As aircraft and engines become available, we will review our network and make decisions based on customer demand.”, concluded.
Alice Springs – Cairns, Airnorth’s new route.
Beginning April 14th, the Australian carrier will serve three times weekly on 100-passenger Embraer 190s:
Monday, Wednesday and Friday
“We are thrilled to expand our network with the addition of the Cairns to Alice Springs service. This route connects key regions of Australia, facilitating economic growth and creating opportunities for travellers to explore the diverse landscapes of the Great Barrier Reef and the Red Centre,” commented Daniel Bowden, Airnorth CEO.
Airnorth routes to/from Alice Springs
On February 16th, Air Vanuatu resumed operations with 71-seat ATR 72-600 aircraft, which had been suspended since mid-November 2024.
In line with our database, the first flight of the ATR, with registry YJ-AV73, departed at 11:50 local time from Port Vila for Tanna, located in Vanuatu, covering flight NF 314.
Luganville will be another route performed, also from/to the country’s capital (Port Vila).
Air Vanuatu’s fleet
- ATR 72-600: 1
- Twin Otter: 3 (YJ-AV11, YJ-AV14 and YJ-RV10)
Batik Air Malaysia has announced it will begin flying between Kuala Lumpur and Xiamen from April 11th, with 162-seat Boeing 737-800 planes.
Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
Phnom Penh – Hong Kong, Cambodia Airways’ new route.
As of April 1st, the company schedules three weekly flights between the two cities on Airbus A319-100s for 150 passengers.
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
Cambodia Airways will compete with Air Cambodia and Cathay Pacific.
The carrier will expand services in Australia from Nadi, by boosting to four flights a week on its route to Cairns, as reported by AeroRoutes.
Fiji Airways is expected to commence this route in April, which will operate three times weekly on Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplanes.
Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday
New flights on Saturdays effective January 4th, 2026.
Starting April 1st, the airline will commence operating between Haikou and Osaka by Boeing 737-800s, to be conducted as follows:
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
Pokhara, new destination for Himalaya Airlines.
According to its website, the airline plans to launch flights between Lhasa and Pokhara from March 31st, which will be performed once per week on Airbus A319 aircraft with a capacity of 128 passengers.
Monday/Tuesday
The Indian low cost airline will expand its domestic operations with new flights between Bhopal and Jabalpur. In accordance with its press release, IndiGo will start flying effective March 1st with Airbus A320-200 planes.
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
Mr. Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales at IndiGo, commented, “We are pleased to announce new direct flights connecting Jabalpur and Bhopal, starting March 01st, 2025. This new route would strengthen the connectivity between Jabalpur and the state capital, and further boost economic growth & development. As India’s largest airline, we’re dedicated to providing our customers with effortless travel experiences, seamless connections across our vast network, and upholding our commitment to affordable, on-time, courteous, and hassle-free travel.”
Jetstar Airways will a new service in Australia from the end of June, starting flights between Gold Coast and Darwin. Operations will be carried out four times weekly with Airbus A320-200 aircraft.
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
At 13:01 local time on February 22nd, Loong Air’s inaugural flight departed Dayong for Cheongju. As per our database, the company will serve with the following schedule:
Wednesday and Saturday
Loong Air will compete with Sichuan Airlines on this route, which will resume operations from March 1st following a three-month hiatus.
Myanmar Airways International will launch services between Yangon and Penang as of April 10th, to be provided with Embraer 190s.
Monday and Thursday
Effective April 10th, the Japanese low cost carrier will launch flights to Seoul Gimpo with two new routes that will be offered on a daily frequency by Airbus A320neo aircraft.
- Nagoya (NGO): 1,260 weekly seats offered
- Osaka (KIX): 1,260 weekly seats offered
Seoul Incheon is its only destination in South Korea.
The Australian airline will restart services between Darwin and Canberra from July 6th, which will be conducted using 94/97-seat Embraer 190 aircraft.
According to its website, Qantas will run three weekly frequencies with the following schedule:
Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday
Royal Brunei Airlines has confirmed that it will restart operations between Bandar Seri Begawan and Beijing Daxing from April 28th, after a six-month suspension.
Services will be performed with 150-passenger Airbus A320neo planes.
Monday and Thursday
Tuesday and Friday
“We are delighted to resume our services to Beijing Daxing, reaffirming our commitment to strengthening the deep-rooted ties between Brunei and the People’s Republic of China. The temporary suspension of this route in October 2024 was a challenging yet necessary decision due to market conditions. However, after careful evaluation, we are confident that the time is right to reconnect our capitals and provide our guests seamless travel options.”, said RB Chief Executive Officer Captain Sabirin Haji Abdul Hamid.
Super Air Jet’s inaugural flight from Pontianak arrived at Banjarmasin at 11:35 local time on February 21st. The company will offer three weekly frequencies with Airbus A320-200 airplanes seating 180 passengers.
Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
In addition, on the same day at 12:50 local time, Super Air Jet’s first service to Praya departed Banjarmasin, which will also be operated with its A320s.
Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
Banjarmasin – Pontianak and Banjarmasin – Praya are domestic routes in Indonesia.
New aircraft added by airlines in Asia and Oceania
- China Eastern Airlines (x3)
| Aircraft | Airline | Registration | Ferry flight | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A321-251NX | China Eastern | B-32L9 | XFW-NQZ-PVG | January 23rd |
| Airbus A321-251NX | China Eastern | B-32LG | XFW-NQZ-PVG | January 23rd |
| Airbus A321-251NX | IndiGo | VT-IWU | XFW-DEL | January 23rd |
| Airbus A321-271NX | China Airlines | B-18120 | XFW-DWC-BKK-TPE | January 24th |
| Airbus A319-153N | China Southern | B-32KX | XFW-NQZ-CAN | January 24th |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Shandong | B-223V* | BFI-HNL-GUM-TNA | January 24th |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Air China | B-20DQ* | BFI-HNL-GUM-PEK | January 25th |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Xiamen Air | B-20E1* | BFI-HNL-GUM-XMN | January 26th |
| Airbus A320-271N | Air Astana | EI-KID | TLS-ALA | January 28th |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 | Akasa Air | VT-YBD | BFI-KEF-LCA-BLR | January 29th |
| Airbus A321-251NX | IndiGo | VT-NCD | XFW-DEL | January 29th |
| Airbus A350-1041 | Japan Airlines | JA09WJ | TLS-HND | January 29th |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Malaysia | 9M-MVI | BFI-HNL-GUM-KUL | January 30th |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Malaysia | 9M-MVE | BFI-HNL-GUM-KUL | January 31st |
| Boeing 787-10 | ANA | JA985A | CHS-LAX-HNL-HND | January 31st |
| Airbus A321-251NX | IndiGo | VT-NCB | TLS-GYD-DEL | February 1st |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Jeju Air | HL8552 | BFI-ANC-CTS-GMP | February 2nd |
| Airbus A320-251N | Jetstar | VH-A5C | TLS-MCT-KUL-MEL | February 3rd |
| Boeing 777-F | China Southern | B-226C | PAE-CAN | February 6th |
| Boeing 787-9 | EVA Air | B-17887 | CHS-TPE | February 11th |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Air India Express | VT-BWI* | BFI-KEF-KWI-HYD | February 14th |
| Airbus A320-251N | Hainan Airlines | B-32K7 | TLS-MCT-HAK | February 14th |
| Airbus A330-941 | Malaysia | 9M-MNH | TLS-KUL | February 17th |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Malaysia | 9M-MVJ | BFI-HNL-GUM-KUL | February 18th |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Shanghai | B-224E* | BFI-HNL-GUM-PVG | February 18th |
| Airbus A321-251NX | Asiana | HL8705 | XFW-TAS-ICN | February 20th |
| Airbus A321-251NX | China Eastern | B-32KT | TLS-NQZ-PVG | February 21st |
| Airbus A321-251NX | IndiGo | VT-NCC | TLS-DEL | February 21st |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Malaysia | 9M-MVH | BFI-HNL-GUM-KUL | February 22nd |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Air India Express | VT-BWJ* | BFI-KEF-KWI-HYD | February 23rd |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Malaysia | 9M-MVK | BFI-HNL-GUM-KUL | February 23rd |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Xiamen Air | B-20DV* | BFI-HNL-GUM-XMN | February 26th |
*It’s not new from the factory.
Other reports we have published
Cover photo: La Roche Spotters – JetPhotos (London Gatwick Airport – EGKK – United Kingdom)
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