-KLM will begin operating between Amsterdam and Shanghai from 29 March, twice-weekly with a Boeing 747-400 Combi.
-Northwest Airlines and Continental Airlines have begun codesharing on about 850 domestic and international flights to 95 destinations despite US Justice Department anti-trust objections.
-Luxair will start a four times weekly direct scheduled service linking Luxembourg and Newark on 30 March, using a Boeing 767-300ER wet-leased from Belgian airline City Bird. The Luxair initiative follows the decision by Icelandair to cease operations between Luxembourg and New York, ending the country's link with the USA.
-Cathay Pacific will begin offering oneworld partner American Airlines frequent flier miles to economy-class passengers from February. The programme is already available to first and business class passengers.
-Sabena and El Al have signed a codesharing agreement covering flights between Brussels and Tel Aviv. Both airlines will increase frequencies from April 2000. The deal will enable El Al passengers to be able to fly from Israel on the Jewish Sabbath. El Al has recently signed a codeshare agreement with Iberia and is now negotiating an agreement with Lufthansa.
-United Airlines is understood to have decided to suspend its daily nonstop service from Osaka to Seoul and will halve weekly frequencies between Tokyo and Seoul from 13 to seven from April. Meanwhile, the planned seasonal service from Chicago to Osaka is not expected to be re-introduced.
-Cargolux is to introduce a regular weekly flight between Luxembourg and Shanghai by mid-1999, using Boeing 747-400Fs.
-The USA and Argentina will seek to conclude an open skies bilateral at meetings planned for March in Buenos Aires. Delta Air Lines says the expected pact would include a transition period to open skies, beginning in January 2000, that will allow more flights carriers for both sides.
Source: Flight International
