AIRLINE NEWS

PHILIPPINE AIRLINES is set to introduce nonstop flights between Manila and Auckland, starting December 6. The airline will operate flight PR218 three times weekly on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, departing Manila at 2315, and arriving in Auckland at 1405 the following day. Flight PR219 leaves Auckland on Friday, Saturday and Tuesday at 0030, touching down in Manila at 0545. The new route will reduce travel time from just over 12 hours to 10 hours, losing the stop in Cairns on the current service. EMIRATES will operate four additional weekly services to Cairo, raising the number of flights to three a day, between Dubai and Egypt, from October 29. Operated by a 360-seat B777-300ER, the additional Dubai – Cairo flight EK 925 will leave Dubai at 2050, arriving in Cairo at 2305. The return flight, EK926, will depart Cairo at 0045, arriving in Dubai at 0615. Emirates operates 17 weekly flights between Cairo and Dubai. It also recently opened a new lounge in Boston, and has expanded its inflight wifi service to all Emirates Skywards Platinum and Gold members. BRITISH AIRWAYS has entered a codeshare with Scottish airline Loganair. Passengers travelling from the Scottish Highlands and Islands will be able to book flights on BA’s network, connecting on domestic services at Inverness, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen and flying on a “through ticket”. This allows them to check hold luggage at their departure airport through to their destination. Loganair flights between the above mentioned routes are eligible for the Scottish Government’s Air Discount Scheme, which aims to make flights more affordable for remote communities in the Highlands and Islands with a 50 per cent discount on selected routes. The codeshare extends to Loganair’s new services to and from Manchester, offering connections at Glasgow, Inverness and Norwich.