Airline News in Brief 05 July 2026

Vietjet to resume five domestic routes to Da Lat: Vietjet will resume flights to Da Lat from August following the expected reopening of Lien Khuong International Airport (Lam Dong Province) on August 19, 2026. The airline has also concluded its popular “Fly Vietjet, Strike Gold” campaign and announced its return in September with an enhanced prize programme. According to the plan, Vietjet will restore five Vietnam domestic routes connecting Da Lat with Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong, Vinh and Da Nang, providing more convenient travel options to one of Vietnam’s most popular highland destinations. The airline will operate 28 return flights per week on the Hanoi–Da Lat route; 7 return flights weekly on each of the Ho Chi Minh City–Da Lat and Vinh–Da Lat routes; 4 return flights weekly between Hai Phong and Da Lat; and 3 return flights weekly between Da Nang and Da Lat. The resumed services will make it easier for domestic and international travellers to visit Da Lat, widely known as Vietnam’s “City of Flowers” for its cool climate, pine forests, lakes, waterfalls and year-round outdoor experiences. Air New Zealand marks Dreamliner milestone: Air New Zealand has welcomed back its final Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner from long-term storage, marking a major milestone in the airline’s response to one of the most significant global supply chain challenges facing aviation in recent years. For the first time since the global Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engine shortage impacted aircraft availability, Air New Zealand now has no widebody aircraft in storage. At the peak of the engine shortage, the airline had five of its 14 Boeing 787-9 aircraft grounded. Air New Zealand GM Fleet Baden Smith says the milestone is one step closer to having the full Dreamliner fleet operational. “With the completion of our retrofit programme and the delivery of our two new Boeing 787-9 aircraft by the end of this year, we’ll see targeted growth in widebody capacity over the next two years. This additional capacity opens up opportunities across our network, including our recently announced services between Christchurch and Singapore, Tokyo and Perth. As the country’s national airline our focus isn’t just growth; it’s building a resilient, future-fit airline that keeps New Zealand connected to the world. Every aircraft we return to the fleet strengthens our ability to connect people, support trade and grow tourism.” Air New Zealand’s narrowbody fleet is also nearly back in full service, with just two Airbus A320neo aircraft currently grounded due to challenges with the Pratt & Whitney engines, down from six at the peak of the disruption. Qantas Economy Plus expands across A330: Qantas has introduced Qantas Economy Plus across its flights operated by the Airbus A330 fleet. The new cabin product will package extra legroom, priority boarding, and priority overhead baggage access into a single, bundled offering, bringing more comfort and choice to popular Australian destinations including Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. The A330 fleet is being reconfigured in time for September, with the A330-200D offering 58 Y+ seats, the A330-200LR offering 50 Y+ seats and the A330-300 offering 56 Y+ seats. Nick McGlynn, Executive Vice President – Asia Qantas said the expansion of Qantas Economy Plus to the A330 will give customers across the region greater flexibility in how they travel. “With premium travel demand surging across Asia, we are committed to delivering the high standard of comfort our passengers have come to expect from Qantas. By bundling extra legroom, priority boarding, and priority overhead baggage into a single product, we are proud to offer Singapore travellers more choice.” Qantas Economy Plus is currently available on the flying kangaroo’s A321XLR, Boeing 737 and Airbus A220 fleet and offers up to 40 per cent more legroom, priority boarding and priority access to overhead baggage space compared to standard Economy. Emirates customers embrace Starlink Wi-Fi: Emirates customers have made more than one million connections to Starlink Wi-Fi since the service was introduced across the airline’s fleet 7 months ago, marking a major milestone in the evolution of inflight connectivity. More than a Petabyte of data has already been used by customers and feedback on the service has been exemplary – with many commenting that the Wi-Fi is ‘better than at home.’ With over 60 Starlink-equipped Emirates flights taking to the skies every day, customers are choosing to connect to high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi to stream content, join video calls, browse social media, game online and stay connected with family and friends throughout their journey. The one million milestone reflects the rapid adoption of Emirates’ next-generation connectivity service, currently available on 33 Boeing 777 aircraft and three Airbus A380s, with installations continuing at pace across the airline’s fleet and more aircraft with Starlink taking flight every week. Etihad expands Brussels, Dhaka, Kraków, Palma and Zanzibar services: Etihad Airways is increasing capacity across its network in response to strong demand, increasing frequencies to Brussels and Kraków, making Abu Dhabi–Dhaka a year-round route, and extending seasonal services to Zanzibar and Palma de Mallorca. The changes reflect continued growth in demand, with additional capacity added where demand has been strongest. Abu Dhabi–Dhaka, which launched on 26 June with a sold-out inaugural flight, is now confirmed as a year-round service on the strength of demand. The route runs four times a week on the Boeing 777, with 28 seats in Business and 374 in Economy. Etihad’s seasonal Abu Dhabi–Zanzibar service has been extended to 31 March 2027, well beyond its previous end date in September, on the strength of demand for the Indian Ocean island. The seasonal Abu Dhabi–Palma service to Mallorca, operated by the A321LR, has been extended to 18 October 2026. Abu Dhabi–Kraków is increasing to four flights a week from 27 July 2026, up from three, following strong demand. Abu Dhabi–Brussels increases to 11 flights a week from 15 December 2026, up from seven, adding four weekly services on the three-cabin Airbus A321LR, with First, Business and Economy. Solomon Airlines takes off from Christchurch: Christchurch Airport celebrated the departure of Solomon Airlines’ inaugural direct flight between Christchurch and Port Vila (Vanuatu), opening a new gateway to tropical adventures and creating a new connection in the Pacific. Christchurch Airport Chief Executive Justin Watson says the new route is fantastic news for travellers looking for sunshine, culture and adventure during the colder months. “Today we’re celebrating more than a new flight. We’re creating new opportunities for people to explore a remarkable part of the Pacific and strengthening the connections between our communities. Vanuatu offers a unique mix of stunning natural beauty, rich cultural experiences and world-class diving. At a time when many Cantabrians are dreaming of winter sunshine, this new direct service makes that escape easier than ever.” For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Sally Passey at [email protected]