Aeroflot Russian International Airlines will introduce a new route from Yerevan, Armenia, to Los Angeles via Moscow this summer under the recently signed co-operation agreement with Armenian Airlines. Aeroflot is expanding its short-haul network, with new direct flights from Moscow to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Krasnoyarsk. At the same time, the airline plans to replace Tupolev Tu-154 tri-jets with Airbus A310s, Boeing 777s and Ilyushin Il-96-300s on routes to South East Asia. A regular cargo flight from Moscow to Shanghai has begun, and new passenger flights from Moscow to Shanghai and Niigata, both via Irkutsk, will start in June. The airline has also launched a frequent flyer programme, "Aeroflot Bonus". Ansett Australia and New South Wales-based Hazelton Airlines are extending their alliance, with a new five-year agreement. Ansett has also been granted right of first refusal over a 20% stake in the regional carrier. Hazelton is now Ansett's preferred intra-state airline in New South Wales on all routes not served by Ansett, Kendell Airlines or Aeropelican Air Services. Cathay Pacific Airways and Japan Airlines introduced new codeshare services from Hong Kong to Osaka and Nagoya, from 28 March and 1 April, respectively. Sabena began a three times weekly scheduled service between Brussels and Jersey on 28 March, operated by an 82-seat Avro RJ85. The Belgian airline will begin RJ100 services to Verona, Italy, three times a day on 5 September and to Seville, Spain, on 3 October. Air France has replaced a Boeing 747 with a 777 on its existing daily services between Paris and Washington. A second daily non-stop service, operated by a 747, will begin in May. Emirates and Air Lanka are to codeshare on Emirates' twice-weekly services from Colombo to Singapore and Jakarta. Emirates is launching daily flights from Dubai to Zurich via Istanbul and a daily service from Dubai to Nairobi.
Source: Flight International
