Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines is moving into the international market with the launch of an aggressive expansion plan designed to make it the country's fourth-largest carrier. Thrice-weekly flights between Sanya on Hainan Island and Seoul's Incheon International Airport begin on 9 October, using Boeing 737-800s. Russian carrier Eastline has been approved to operate passenger and cargo (initially charter) services from Russia to Canada, and has recently operated its first cargo flight between Hamilton, Ontario, and Moscow, via Irkutsk. Midwest Express is introducing three times daily non-stop flights between Omaha and Kansas City next month. Emirates is adding two more weekly flights between Dubai and Paris at the end of October, using Airbus A330-200s. American Trans Air has started three times-daily services between Chicago Midway and Washington Dulles, in place of its flights to Washington National airport which remains closed. Cargolux has introduced a new weekly flight between Luxembourg and Calgary, Canada, using Boeing 747-400 Freighters. Air Wales is launching three times daily weekday services between Swansea and Dublin on 15 October, using Fairchild Dornier 228 turboprops. Crossair is adding a fourth daily flight between Geneva and London City on 15 October. Next month AirTran Airways will launch twice-daily non-stop services between Atlanta and Tallahassee, Florida. Two UK airlines have moved to fill the void left by Newcastle-based Gill Airways which ceased operations last month. Humberside- based regional Eastern Airways has introduced a Fokker 50 and two BAe Jetstream 32s on Norwich-Aberdeen services. Meanwhile, British European has taken over Gill's Newcastle-Belfast City flights and Gill's Air France franchise flights between Newcastle and Paris Charles de Gaulle. Air 2000 has begun flights from Exeter, UK, and Paphos, Cyprus on behalf of its tour operator parent First Choice.
Source: Flight International
