- All Nippon Airways (ANA)has applied for a Government go-ahead for its planned codeshare partnership with Varig, in the run-up to joining the Star Alliance by October. The two airlines plan to begin codesharing on two Varig-operated services from Rio de Janeiro to Nagoya and Tokyo, starting on 28 March. The airline has also announced new frequent-flier programme links with Star members Air Canada and SAS, to be in place by April.
-From March, United Airlines' cargo division is adding New York to its Pacific Rim network, with flights operating via its Anchorage hub to Osaka, Tokyo and Manila. It is to drop all-cargo services to Taipei and San Francisco.
-CityFlyer Express will introduce daily services in July from London Gatwick to Nice with British Aerospace Avro RJ100s. The airline is a franchise partner of BA, which is finalising a take-over deal.
-Air France and Tyrolean Airways have signed a codesharing deal, which will see Tyrolean's Bombardier Canadair Regional Jets (CRJ) operating a Lyon-Vienna service three times daily during the week, and twice daily at weekends. A six-times weekly service will be operated between Paris Charles de Gaulle and Salzburg, while a Bombardier Dash 8-300 will fly from Paris to Innsbruck four times a week.
-Spanish regional carrier Binter Mediterraneé has contracted Southend-based British World Airlines to operate services between its Malaga headquarters and the Spanish enclave of Mellila on the Morocco coast of North Africa. Up to four services are flown daily with British World supplying flight and cabin crew.
-US Airways Express has begun operating two daily direct flights, using CRJs, between Washington National Airport and Knoxville, Tennessee. Two daily non-stop flights have also been added between Washington National and Greenville/Spartanburg South Carolina, using a Fairchild Dornier 328.
-KLM starts a twice-weekly non-stop service on 29 March linking Amsterdam and Shanghai (China).
Source: Flight International
