Orient Aviation

News Air NZ and Qantas codeshares to end in April 2027 Air New Zealand (Air NZ) and Qantas Airways will stop codesharing on domestic routes in Australia and N.Z. from April 7 next year. Read More » The pair is also ending their reciprocal frequent flyer agreement offering lounge access and the ability to earn points and elite qualifying status credits on select codeshare routes.

News Vietjet headed to Maldives via Colombo Vietjet has commenced ticket sales for its new Ho Chi Minh City-Colombo-Malé service. Read More » The LCC has scheduled three flights a week on route, which will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from December 5 with A320 aircraft. Currently, seven airlines offer nonstop flights between Colombo and Malé, with Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet flying nonstop between Ho Chi Minh City and Colombo.

News Lufthansa returning to Nagoya, boosting Tokyo schedule Lufthansa Airlines will restart nonstop flights to Nagoya in Japan from its Frankfurt hub from March next year. Read More » The Star Alliance member has scheduled three flights a week on the route, which will operate on a seasonal basis from March 29 2027 with three-class 787-8 aircraft featuring 28 business, 28 premium economy and 231 economy class seats.

News Thai Airways International suspends Chai Eamsiri as CEO Chai Eamsiri has been removed as Thai Airways International (THAI) CEO with immediate effect amid the airline’s operational failures during the recent severe flooding in the Thailand capital, Bangkok. Read More » The company told the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) on Friday (October 2) Chai had been "suspended" by the board while it undertook a fact-finding investigation to review the airline’s crisis management processes.

Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) announced it has signed a Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) with Airbus to acquire Sepang Aircraft Engineering (SAE), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Airbus Group.

News IATA reports weaker passenger demand in Asia in August The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released August 2026 global passenger demand data showing total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was down 0.8% from August 2025. Read More » Excluding the Middle East, demand grew by 0.6%. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASK), increased 0.3% year-on-year. The load factor was 85.1% (-0.9 ppt compared to August 2025).

News Canada and Vietnam sign expanded air services agreement The governments of Canada and Vietnam have agreed to expand their air transport agreement to include traffic rights for airlines of both countries to operate up to 14 passenger flights a week, up to seven cargo flights per week and unlimited fifth-freedom cargo flights between Canada and Vietnam. Read More » The expanded bilateral also allowed for direct flights between Canada and Vietnam for the first time, Transport Canada said.

News Vietjet registers first aircraft in Australia: Report Vietjet has registered a Boeing 737 MAX 8 in Australia, Australian Aviation reported. Read More » The aircraft, registered VH-T8A, msn 63879, owned by Vietjet Aviation, has appeared on the CASA register with a registered operator based in Melbourne under the name “Cherrie Aviation”. The jet was manufactured this year.

News Qantas sets launch of nonstop Sydney-New York service for mid-2028 Qantas Airways confirmed that it will launch non-stop services between Sydney and New York from mid-2028, the first-ever non-stop commercial service between the cities, as part of Project Sunrise. Read More » Tickets for the inaugural service are set to go on sale from August 2027.

News Air Canada to end nonstop service to Singapore Singapore will lose its sole nonstop link to Canada next year, with Air Canada confirming it will end flights to the city from Vancouver in January. Read More » The Star Alliance member launched nonstop flights between Vancouver and Singapore with 787-9 aircraft in 2024 and currently offers four or five flights a week on the route, depending on the time of year.