FlightGlobal | Networks

After a decade of growth, international route networks were shattered by the global pandemic. Amid a myriad of operating challenges, airlines and airports have been rebuilding their networks, largely by restoring established routes but also developing services to new markets.

Porter Airlines is the latest Canadian carrier to tweak its schedule based on weakening demand for US travel, though it pledged to maintain a substantial operation to the USA during the summer air travel season.

News

EasyJet adds three bases as it begins summer schedule

EasyJet has opened bases at London Southend, Milan Linate and Rome Fiumicino airports as it plots moderate capacity growth this summer.

News

BA owner to take financial hit in ‘tens of millions’ from Heathrow shutdown

British Airways owner IAG expects to take a financial hit in the “tens of millions” of euros from the complete shutdown of Heathrow airport for the best part of a day on 21 March.

News

Cathay, HK Express outline Mainland China expansion plans

Cathay Pacific Group will be increasing its operations into Mainland China for the northern summer season, tapping on “growing two-way travel demand”.

News

Ethiopian Airlines partners with Archer on envisioned African air taxi network

Star Alliance carrier Ethiopian Airlines has signed an agreement with Archer Aviation to become the electric air taxi company’s second airline launch customer.

News

Cebu Pacific again flags ‘poor recovery’ in Mainland China

Cebu Pacific has again flagged sluggish recovery for the China market, as it confirms that it has “redeployed” capacity to other parts of its network.

All Networks news

In depth

How domestic capacity return varies across key markets

Domestic markets have been a salvation for many airlines as the global pandemic continues to batter international travel.

Asia-Pacific ‘travel bubbles’ fail to inflate

Despite government talk about “travel bubbles,” “green lanes” and the like, the Asia-Pacific’s biggest international air travel markets remain a long way from anything approaching normalcy.

Where the airline industry was when the music stopped

Another year of strong profit and traffic growth in 2019 for leading carriers illustrates the highs the industry had reached before the coronavirus pandemic, but offered no warning of the crisis to come that has pushed airlines to the brink.

Why transatlantic return matters so much to airlines

When Virgin Atlantic broke the news it would need to cut over 1,000 more jobs, even having secured its future within £1.2 billion ($1.6 billion) in refinancing commitments, it underlined just how damaging the failure to reignite the key transatlantic market was.

IATA lowers 2020 passenger traffic hopes on stalled recovery

Airline trade body IATA has lowered its expectations for global passenger traffic this year amid a plateauing in the recovery and bleaker forward booking indicators.

Airline coronavirus recovery tracker: November 2020 update

Our regular examination of the latest global data for several key airline market indicators, including traffic and capacity in passenger and cargo markets, airport passenger throughput, in-service and stored fleets, jet fuel costs, and share price trends for the world’s largest groups.

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Network planning in the new reality

Sponsored by Miami International Airport and OAG

Airlines and airports are slowly picking up the pieces of networks shattered by a coronavirus crisis that has seen the majority of the world’s passenger flights grounded, and many countries shutting their borders to international travel. As the world of air travel opens up again, what factors will drive which routes will return first, and how might route maps change permanently? How are network planners choosing what services to reinstate and what tactics should airports use to retain or lure new customers, given that some airlines will not survive the crisis and many will be forced to drastically reappraise their networks. Will the crisis change the entire relationship between airports and airlines?

Airline insights

’Small flows through hubs’ will lead recovery, says KLM chief
The recovery of international air connectivity will favour KLM’s hub operations above point-to-point services, according to the Dutch flag carrier’s chief executive Pieter Elbers.
Pandemic forces Vistara to press pause on rapid growth
Indian carrier Vistara entered 2020 with plans for rapid growth, but the coronavirus pandemic has kept the airline from meeting its full potential.
Airports face long wait for air traffic return
Whilst the crisis facing airlines has dominated most of the headlines since the collapse of air transport demand from the global pandemic, the symbiotic nature of their relationship means airports are facing their own financial pressures from the slump in passenger numbers.

Network Planning Focus

All Networks news

Canada’s Porter Airlines makes ‘targeted frequency reductions’ amid softening US demand

EasyJet adds three bases as it begins summer schedule

BA owner to take financial hit in ‘tens of millions’ from Heathrow shutdown

Cathay, HK Express outline Mainland China expansion plans

Ethiopian Airlines partners with Archer on envisioned African air taxi network

Cebu Pacific again flags ‘poor recovery’ in Mainland China

Most read

Latest

In depth

How domestic capacity return varies across key markets

Asia-Pacific ‘travel bubbles’ fail to inflate

Where the airline industry was when the music stopped

Why transatlantic return matters so much to airlines

IATA lowers 2020 passenger traffic hopes on stalled recovery

Airline coronavirus recovery tracker: November 2020 update

Webinar

Network planning in the new reality

Airline insights

’Small flows through hubs’ will lead recovery, says KLM chief

Pandemic forces Vistara to press pause on rapid growth

Airports face long wait for air traffic return

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