Airline News - Asia / Pacific.

Air China

Air China will take 15 of the 80 737NGs purchased earlier this month by China, according to an airline spokesperson cited by press reports. The deal is worth approximately $982.8 million. Apr 21, 2006

Air Mauritius

Air Mauritius announced an overhaul of its long-haul product beginning in December on its route to London Heathrow operated with two soon-to-be-delivered A340-300Es. Three revamped cabin classes will include flat-bed cocoon seats in first class and on-demand audio and video. Upgrades across all three classes will be retrofitted to the remainder of the fleet. Apr 17, 2006

Air New Zealand 

Air New Zealand really does offer a choice. It is to become the only airline to offer true, around the world services, when it introduces Auckland - London flights at the beginning of the winter season on 29 October via Hong Kong. Time-wise the journey will take around 25 hours, much the same as the airline's traditional route via Los Angeles. The airline will for the first time compete with Virgin Atlantic in terms of cabin accommodation, ANZ offering the same VS designed Upper Class suites. http://www.airnewzealand.co.uk Apr 16, 2006

Air New Zealand will become the only round-the-world airline with its new service to London via Hong Kong that commences on Oct. 28. ANZ already operates a daily flight to London via Los Angeles. It will fly the new route with newly refurbished 747-400s. Apr 10, 2006

Alitalia, Jat Airways

Jat Airways and Alitalia begin codesharing between Belgrade and Milan with three daily flights from April 24 using Alitalia Express Embraer 170s. Apr 20, 2006

Australian Airlines, Jetstar International

Australian Airlines is to disappear as a name. It had a short life, only existing as a Qantas offspring since October 2002. In a major reconfiguration of its scheduled operations Qantas will introduce Jetstar International in November, initially with Airbus A330 aircraft and later Boeing 787s. It will concentrate on leisure routes to South East Asia and the Pacific, and also code share with Qantas and offer interlining, unheard of for what will be essentially a long haul budget carrier. Jetstar domestic continues as a low cost carrier with its only international routes connecting Christchurch with Melbourne and Australia's major east coast cities. http://www.jetstar.com.au Apr 16, 2006

Cathay Pacific, Air China

Cathay Pacific, Air China, investors examine share realignments. A joint statement released yesterday by Cathay Pacific Airways and Air China and investors Swire Pacific, China National Aviation Co. and CITIC Pacific confirmed reports that "discussions are taking place about operational cooperation" between CX and Air China and "realignment of shareholdings" in the two airlines and Dragonair, the Hong Kong carrier owned jointly by CNAC (43.3%), CITIC (28.5%), Cathay (17.8%) and Swire (7.7%). Apr 11, 2006

China Southern

China Southern Airlines and KLM expanded their codeshare agreement to include twice-weekly 777 service between Chengdu and Amsterdam operated by KLM. Apr 18, 2006

China Southern signed Carlson Marketing China to renovate and upgrade its Sky Pearl Club loyalty program. The airline said it now is selling at least 20% of its tickets on its website at a rate of 570,000 per month. It sold more than 600,000 tickets in March worth in excess of $41 million. Apr 18, 2006

Japan Airlines, Hainan Airlines

Japan Airlines and Hainan Airlines will expand their codeshare agreement to include Hainan's daily flights from Beijing to Kunming and Xian. Apr 20, 2006

Kingfisher Airlines

Kingfisher Airlines, one of a bunch of very well backed emerging Indian airlines, has done an about turn and launched what it calls "Kingfisher First" as a business class product. With this new introduction the airline is going back on his initial plan, which had promised air travelers an experience that combined business class comfort with economy prices. Clearly the booming Indian market forced a requirement for an upgraded section on domestic flights, the original 174-seat Airbus A320 operation now to offer 20 first class seats and 104 in economy. Kingfisher First seats will offer Sleeperette seats with a 48-inch pitch, 125-degree recline, adjustable headrests and fully extendable footrests. Kingfisher Airlines is the first Indian carrier to have placed an order for the Airbus A380s, for five. It is also committed to five A350s and five A330s plus 40 A320. A photo shows chairman Vijay Mallya at the Kingfisher rollout. http://www.flykingfisher.com Apr 23, 2006

Qantas, Air New Zealand

Qantas, Air New Zealand announce transtasman accord. The on-again-off-again relationship between Air New Zealand and Qantas is back on, with the carriers announcing yesterday a comprehensive codeshare agreement for their routes across the Tasman Sea. Apr 13, 2006

Qantas, Australian

Qantas to absorb Australian; Jetstar to offer low-cost, long-haul service. As expected, Australia's Qantas Group moved to rationalize its various airline brands, with leisure operator Australian Airlines being absorbed into the mainline from July and Jetstar International, the overseas arm of Qantas domestic LCC Jetstar, launching operations in November. Apr 12, 2006

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines now offers interline e-tickets for connections to American Airlines, British Airways, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Varig, bringing to 17 the number of carriers with whom SIA has partnered for interline e-ticketing. Apr 21, 2006