New airline routes launched (21 – 27 February 2012)

Route of the Week: Interjet’s Mexico City to Miami

• Interjet became the first low-cost carrier on the route between Mexico City (MEX) and Miami, FL (MIA) when the Mexican budget airline launched its flights on 23 February. Miami thereby becomes Interjet’s second US destination after San Antonio, TX. Flights are operated 12 times weekly – twice-daily on weekdays and daily on weekends – with the airline’s 150-seat A320s. Two network airlines already operate the route; American Airlines four times a day and Aeromexico thrice-daily. Prior to its demise one and a half years ago, Mexicana also operated the route.

Cake of the Week: Safi Airways’ Kabul to Abu Dhabi

• Safi Airways launched its third route on 22 February when the Afghan airline began operating flights from its Kabul (KBL) base to the Emirati country capital. Complementing its twice-daily operation to Dubai, Safi Airways now flies four times a week to Abu Dhabi (AUH). Flights are operated with 144-seat A320 aircraft. Safi Airways’ only other (third) destination is Delhi. “This new air link will contribute to the continued development of Safi Airways,” said Michael McTighe, COO of Safi Airways, to anna.aero.

The rest of this week’s new routes

• Air Vallée expanded its base in Parma (PMF) in northern Italy by connecting the city with the country capital’s main airport; Rome Fiumicino (FCO). As of 23 February, flights operate twice-daily with Do328 jet aircraft. The route was previously operated by Air Alps, which dropped the route when the airline temporarily suspended operations in January this year. Michele Costantino President of Air Vallèe Holding Company said: “Air Vallèe is delighted to be able to relaunch one of Parma Milan Airport’s most important routes so quickly. Air Vallèe has the aircraft available and is able to offer a better quality service with competitive prices.” Paul Whelan, Managing Director of Parma Milan Airport added: “We have been aware that the Rome route operated by Air Alps has not met customer expectations for some time in terms of price and service and I have been focussed on finding alternative solutions for some time. Our next priority is to finalise the discussions with Alitalia to ensure that the route is operated in partnership with Alitalia ensuring international transit to and from Parma.”

• Azul has launched a regional route between two state capitals in the western, inner part of Brazil. As of 27 February, the low-cost airline flies six times weekly between Campo Grande (CGR), the capital of Mato Grosso do Sul, and Cuiabá (CGB), capital of Mato Grosso. The 550-kilometre route is operated with the airline’s 118-seat E-195 aircraft, competing with Avianca Brazil’s twice-daily and GOL’s daily flights as well as TRIP’s five weekly operations. The same day, the airline also connected Maringá (MGF) in the south of the country with Campo Grande, a route also operated six times weekly with the same aircraft type. Competition comes from TRIP’s also six flights a week.

• Ryanair continued expanding its new Budapest (BUD) base, on 21 February launching four new routes with its 189-seat 737-800s in addition to the 13 routes already launched the week prior. Flights to Milan Bergamo (BGY) are launched with the highest frequency at 10 flights a week, increasing to 11 weekly flights at the start of the summer season. The other three routes, to Brussels Charleroi (CRL), Paris Beauvais (BVA) and Rome Ciampino (CIA), are initially operated with daily frequencies, but the flights to the Belgian and Italian capitals increase to 13 and 10 weekly flights respectively for the summer scheduling season. Two of the four new routes face direct competition; Wizz Air competes with each daily flights to both Brussels Charleroi and Milan Bergamo. Further indirect competition comes from Brussels Airlines at Brussels Airport, Air France at Paris CDG, easyJet at Paris Orly and Wizz Air and Alitalia at Rome Fiumicino.