Etihad launches Nairobi flights: Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, celebrated the launch of its new service to Nairobi on Sunday, 15 December 2024, marking the airline’s latest milestone in a remarkable year of network expansion. Operating through the state-of-the-art Zayed International Airport, the service creates a vital connection between the UAE’s capital and one of Africa’s most dynamic cities. “The introduction of our Nairobi service enhances our growing network while responding to strong travel demand between the UAE and Kenya, as demonstrated by today’s completely full inaugural flight,” said Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer at Etihad Airways. “As both Abu Dhabi and Kenya experience remarkable tourism growth and set ambitious targets for the future, this route creates valuable opportunities for both destinations. The service strengthens the important ties between our regions, supporting Abu Dhabi’s position as a global aviation hub while providing enhanced access to Kenya’s thriving tourism market.” The launch comes at a significant time for Kenya’s tourism sector. With visitor numbers expected to reach 3 million in 2024 and targets of 5 million visitors in the coming years, Kenya’s tourism industry is on a strong growth trajectory. The Nairobi launch follows the successful introduction of services to Antalya, Bali, Boston, Jaipur, Kozhikode, Mykonos, Nice, Qassim, and Thiruvananthapuram in 2024. Looking ahead to 2025, Etihad will continue its expansion with thirteen new destinations: Warsaw and Prague in June; Al Alamein and Atlanta in July; Taipei in September; Medan, Phnom Penh, and Krabi in October; and Tunis, Chiang Mai, Hong Kong, Hanoi, and Algiers in November.
West Air launch Lhasa-Chongqing-Singapore route: West Air will has launced a new Lhasa ⇌ Chongqing ⇌ Singapore international route. The opening of this route will promote cultural exchanges between western China and Singapore. It is also the first international route to be added since the official renaming of Lhasa Gongga International Airport. The route will be operated by an Airbus A319 with three round-trip flights per week. The outbound flight number is PN6425, operating on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, departing from Lhasa at 17:40, arriving in Chongqing at 20:30, departing from Chongqing at 22:50 (23:00 on Mondays), and arriving in Singapore at 03:55 the next day. The return flight number is PN6426, operating on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, departing from Singapore at 04:55, arriving in Chongqing at 09:40, departing from Chongqing at 12:20, and arriving in Lhasa at 15:20. Chongqing, as the operational center for the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Strategic Connectivity Demonstration Project, has strong strategic alignment with Singapore. The new route will serve as a bridge linking western China and the ASEAN region, creating an “air corridor” for the development of a new land-sea corridor in the west. This route will also play a significant role in promoting economic, trade, cultural, and tourism exchanges between Lhasa, Chongqing, and Singapore.
HK Express launches Shizuoka route: HK Express Airways (HK Express) has launched Hong Kong’s very first direct service to Mount Fuji Shizuoka Airport (FSZ) in Japan. This marks the airlne’s tenth destination in Japan. “As Hong Kong’s only low-cost carrier, HK Express is dedicated to providing affordable fares so that adventurous travellers can ‘Gotta Go’ to wherever their hearts desire,” said HK Express CEO Jeanette Mao. “Japan has always been a key market for us, and with the upcoming launch of Sendai next month, we will have a total of 11 destinations in Japan, further solidifying our status as the Hong Kong-based airline with the most Japanese destinations and nearly 170 round trip flights per week. Travellers who love Japanese culture can freely hop between our various destinations, embodying the spirit of ‘Live More’.”
Air Astana launching new Frankfurt route: Air Astana will be launching a new three times a week, Airbus A321LR service from Almaty to Frankfurt on 1st June 2025, with tickets already on sale. The new service will complement existing flights to Frankfurt from Astana, Kazakhstan’s capital and Uralsk in western Kazakhstan. Air Astana first launched direct flights to Germany in 2003. The planned schedule will be convenient for both point-to-point and transit passengers, with the flight from Almaty departing at 01:30 and arriving in Frankfurt at 06:55 and the return flight departing at 08:30 and arriving back in Almaty at 18:55. The minimum fare for a round-trip economy class ticket starts at US$550 including taxes & fees and tickets can now be booked on the airline’s website, at sales offices, the Reservation & Information Centre and accredited agencies.
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