Royal Brunei

Royal Brunei has officially announced that it shall be increasing capacity on its route to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia effective August 2nd 2010. Currently, BI operates 5 times per week nonstop using a Boeing 767-300ER, however this shall change when from August it will be utilizing one of its leased ex SQ Boeing 777-200ER to operate the service.

Austrian Airlines

Austrian Airlines has officially announced that it shall be increasing capacity on its route to Dubai, UAE from January 19th 2011 onwards. Currently, OS operates a daily nonstop flight using a Boeing 767-300ER which will from mid January onwards be increased to the larger Boeing 777-200ER. In addition, OS has too confirmed that it shall be increasing capacity to TLV-Tel Aviv with a double daily nonstop service using an Airbus A 321-200.

Lufthansa

Lufthansa has officially revealed major capacity and frequency changes for its long haul network for the IATA Winter 2010 season. The main highlights are as follows:

MAA - capacity increased from daily A 343 to 6 weekly A 346s + weekly A 343.

CPT - frequencies increased to daily nonstop flights using a B 744.

AUH/MCT - frequencies increased to daily flights using an A 333 six times per week + weekly A 343.

ICN - frequencies increased from 5 to 6 weekly nonstop flights using an A 346.

ATL - capacity adjusted from daily A 343 to daily A 333.

JNB - capacity increased from daily B 744 to 3 weekly A 380s + 4 weekly A 346s.

LOS - capacity adjusted from daily A 333 to daily A 343.

ALA - frequencies increased to daily nonstop flights using an A 343 twice a week + A 333 five times a week.

DFW - capacity adjusted from daily A 343 to daily A 333.

EWR - capacity reduced from daily B 744 to daily A 346.

PHL - frequencies reduced from daily to 6 weekly nonstop flights using an A 343.

ABV - frequencies increased to daily flights using an A 333 six times per week + an A 343 once a week.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways has officially announced details of a massive expansion plan in Europe and Southeast Asia which shall commence from the on set of the IATA Winter 2010 season. This includes the addition of 6 new cities to its ever expanding global network which include Phuket, Hanoi, Brussels, Budapest, Bucharest and Nice. In addition, QR has too revealed on the GDS that it shall be adding a third daily nonstop flight to BKK-Bangkok from Nov 2nd 2010 onwards using an Airbus A 330-300. This third daily flight enables connections in both directions via DOH to North America and all EU/African cities that depart between 745-1045am Doha time.

The main highlights of this expansion plan are as follows:

BRU - new 5 weekly nonstop flights to be flown using an A 332.

HKT (Phuket) - new daily flights to be flown using an A 333 via KUL with full 5th freedom rights.

HAN - new four weekly flights to be flown using an A 333 via BKK with full 5th freedom rights.

SGN (Ho Chi Minh City) - frequencies increased from 4 weekly to daily flights using an A 332 i.e. 3 weekly via BKK with full 5th freedom rights + 4 nonstop.

BKK - frequencies increased from double to triple daily nonstop flights using a B 777-300ER double daily + daily A 333.

NCE - new three weekly flights to be operated via MXP using an A 333.

BUD/BUH - new 4 weekly flights to be flown using an A 320 as a tag on triangular service.

Analysis:

Out of all these flights, BRU and Vietnam I feel has the best chance of being successful. Unlike its other EU route launches, BRU has a standardized timing which allows excellent connections via QR's Doha hub to connect beautifully in both directions to all of QR's Southeast Asian destinations + KHI, CMB, DAC and KTM. They will get a good amount of high yielding business class traffic on this route and give Etihad a tough time henceforth.

With regards to HAN, its an excellent move to fly there via BKK with 5th freedom rights especially now since Air France will be suspending flights to the city from October onwards. With HAN being the capital of Vietnam, one would expect QR to get a good amount of high yielding J class flying political/military traffic on board bound to Europe and GCC in particular.