To bolster its China network, Korean Air has confirmed that from July 1, 2024, it will operate a new daily flight between Seoul Incheon and Macau. The outbound service – flight KE169 – will depart the South Korean capital at 21:15 and land at Macau International Airport at 23:55. The return leg – flight KE170 – will leave Macau and land in Seoul the next day at 01:10 and 06:00, respectively. The flight time will be approximately 3 hours and 40 minutes.

Macau, a popular tourist destination, is close to Hong Kong. Travellers can access the latter within an hour via a ferry or bus. Korean Air already operates four daily services between Seoul Incheon and Hong Kong. The carrier resumed three weekly flights between Seoul Incheon and Zhangjiajie and four weekly services linking Seoul Incheon and Zhengzhou from April 23 and April 24, respectively.

Also Read: Korean Air and WestJet Expand Codeshare Partnership

NOTE: Image has been sourced from Boeing Mediaroom

China’s GDAT and Airbus have finished signing a contract. The former will purchase up to 20 H175 helicopters from the latter. The agreement splits the order half and half between firm and optional orders. An Ireland-based start-up helicopter leasing and financing company, GD Helicopter Finance (GDHF), will market the H175s to potential customers in the energy, SAR (Search and Rescue), EMS (Emergency Medical Services), and parapublic market segments globally. GDHF will also market 50 Airbus H160 helicopters, which GDAT placed an order for last year.

The Airbus H175 has been in service since 2015. Belonging to the super-medium class, the helicopter offers a robust blend of long-range and heavy payload. It is a good fit for various offshore and onshore missions, including disaster relief, search and rescue and other public services.

India’s largest airline by fleet, IndiGo, has placed a firm order for 30 Airbus A350-900s. Furthermore, the paperwork states an option to purchase an additional 70 aircraft of the same type. These widebody jets will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines.

There’s no word on when the deliveries will commence. Also, it isn’t the only aircraft type in Airbus’ order books for the Indian airline. Last June, IndiGo created history by placing the biggest single order ever. It ordered 500 jets from the Airbus A320 family. Presently, the aircraft manufacturer still has to deliver nearly 1,000 units. The order book comprises a mix of A320Neo, A321Neo and A321XLR single-aisle aeroplanes.

With the new order for A350s, IndiGo will deepen its business ties with Airbus and open a new chapter with Rolls-Royce, one of the world’s most renowned aviation marques.

Latvia’s flag carrier, airBaltic, has announced the start of direct flights between its core hub, Riga and the capital of Slovenia – Ljubljana. The airline will operate two weekly flights between the two capitals. The one-side duration of the flight has been quoted as 2 hours and 15 minutes. Tickets for this route are available on the carrier’s official website.

airBaltic confirms that during the summer of 2024, it will offer 15 new routes from the Baltics and Tempere. The airline, which has an all-Airbus A220 fleet, operates over 130 routes from Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, Tampere and, during specific periods, Gran Canaria.

Also Read: airBaltic Announces More Pop-Up Flights For Summer

From November 1, 2024, UAE’s national carrier, Etihad Airways, will begin flying an Airbus A380 to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. Flight EY31 will leave Abu Dhabi at 02:40 and land in the French capital at 07:30. The return leg – EY32 – will depart from Paris and arrive at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport at 09:45 and 19:25, respectively. All times mentioned are local.

This daily service between Abu Dhabi and Paris means the French city will become the third metropolis to receive the mammoth double-decker, after London (UK) and New York (USA).

Flights featuring Etihad’s A380 to John F. Kennedy Airport began a few days ago. The one set to ferry passengers to and fro from Paris will have the same configuration as the one on the Abu Dhabi-New York route. That means 68 Economy seats with extra legroom, 337 Economy Smart seats, 70 Business Studios, nine First Apartments, and a three-room suite called The Residence. The aircraft will also boast a lounge and a lobby area, bifurcating the Business Studios section and the First Apartments.

To boost its capacity for the US market, Etihad Airways has added its flagship Airbus A380 to the New York route. The flight – EY1 – flew from Abu Dhabi and landed at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on April 22, 2024. The aircraft features a four-class layout: Economy, Business, First and The Residence.

The A380 boasts 68 seats with extra legroom in Economy and 337 in Economy Smart, featuring fixed-wing headrests and large pillows. On the upper floor of the double-decker, there are 70 Business-class private spaces, a service lounge, a bar, and nine First Apartments with 80-inch lie-flat beds and access to the shower room. The pièce de résistance is, of course, The Residence. It features a private living room, a bedroom, an ensuite bathroom with a shower, and a dedicated crew.

Etihad will operate the A380 on the Abu Dhabi-New York route every day, making it the second daily nonstop service between the two cities. The other is operated by a Boeing 787-9 with a three-class configuration: First, Business and Economy.

Also Read: Etihad Announces Flights To Al Qassim