The World of Aviation

Japan Airlines has underlined the resurgence in the Australia-Japan market with the start of nonstop Melbourne-Tokyo (Narita) flights. The inaugural service, operated as flight JL773 by Boeing 787-8 JA845J, touched down at Melbourne Tullamarine just before 2200 on Friday night after a 10 and a half hour journey from Tokyo Narita. The aircraft received an

Qantas has switched on its codeshare and frequent flyer partnership with Israeli flag carrier El AL that was first announced in February. The arrangement involves Qantas placing its QF airline code on El AL-operated flights from Hong Kong, Bangkok and Johannesburg to Tel Aviv. At the same time, El Al has added its LY airline

Air Niugini pilots have started receiving type-rating training for the Fokker 100 regional jet from CAE under an expanded agreement between the two parties. CAE said it instructors began delivering type-rating training for Air Niugini pilots at its Perth facility in the second half of 2017. Air Niugini executive manager for flight operations Captain Samiu

Virgin Australia will maintain services to Samoa after its Virgin Samoa joint-venture with the Samoan government is wound up in November. The airline has launched nonstop flights to Apia from Auckland, Brisbane and Sydney due to kick off from November 13 2017. Under the new schedule, Virgin plans to offer five flights a week on

Air Canada has upgraded its upcoming nonstop service between Vancouver and Melbourne from seasonal to year-round. The Star Alliance member is scheduled to begin seasonal flights to Melbourne – its third Australian destination alongside Brisbane and Sydney – from its Vancouver hub four times a week during the peak summer holiday period between December 1

Xiamen Air will add a second route out of Melbourne Tullamarine from December 2017 when it starts flights to Hangzhou. The Skyteam alliance member has scheduled two flights a week with Boeing 787-8s that will operate via a Xiamen-Hangzhou-Melbourne-Hangzhou-Xiamen routing starting on December 16. The airline already has nonstop Xiamen-Melbourne service which kicked off in