AIRLINE NEWS

AIR CANADA will begin serving Taipei and Nagoya with direct flights in the summer of 2017, deploying B767-300ER aircraft on its Nagoya route and B787-9 Dreamliners on its Taipei service. AIR NEW ZEALAND will be bringing in-flight wifi connectivity to its fleet starting next year, beginning with flights between New Zealand and Australia before progressing to Pacific Island and long-haul routes from the end of 2017. CHINA AIRLINES has taken delivery of its first A350-900, making the Taiwan-based airline the ninth carrier to operate the new Airbus aircraft. CHINA SOUTHERN AIRLINES has ordered 12 B787-9 Dreamliners, expanding its long-haul capabilities and adding to its ten existing B787-8 aircraft. EMIRATES will launch a new daily service between Dubai and Fort Lauderdale starting December 15, 2016. FINNAIR will add four flights a week to its daily Tokyo Narita service and three additional flights between Helsinki and Hong Kong on a seasonal basis from June to October, 2017. HONG KONG AIRLINES will launch a daily direct service to Incheon International Airport in South Korea, starting December 16. QATAR AIRWAYS now operates daily flights to Helsinki from Doha, adding to its existing flights to Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen. SCOOT has ceased offering flights to Hong Kong as of October 30. Passengers booked on flights to Hong Kong will be transferred to sister carrier Tigerair. SILK AIR, the regional Singapore carrier, has launched a new mobile app designed to offer travellers the ability to book flights, get exclusive fares, manage their itinerary, receive reminders and allow Krisflyer members to view their accounts. VIRGIN AUSTRALIA will resume its non-stop Melbourne to Los Angeles service beginning April 2017. The route was axed back in 2014 due to increased competition.