Airlines are slowly restoring capacity with Swiss International Air
Lines (SWISS), United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic all making
announcements that they are either expanding or resuming flights as the
impact of the Covid pandemic recedes.
SWISS will be expanding its range of long-haul services in the coming
winter with schedules to Shanghai and Singapore to benefit.
In a statement SWISS said it will “continue to make every possible
effort to maintain maximum stability throughout its flight schedules,”
amid challenges caused by economic and political uncertainty.
Shanghai will return to receiving six-times-weekly service this
winter, three frequencies more than have been offered during the present
summer season. Singapore will revert to daily SWISS service through the
addition of one further weekly flight.
The winter timetable period runs from 29 October 2023 to 30 March 2024.
SWISS transported more than three million passengers in the first
quarter of 2023, an increase of more than 70% on the prior-year period.
Systemwide, SWISS offered 40.2% more capacity for the period in
available seat-kilometres.
Total first-quarter traffic volume, measured in revenue
passenger-kilometres (RPK), was 80.4% above its prior-year level.
Systemwide first-quarter seat load factor amounted to a 81%, an
18.1-percentage-point improvement on the prior-year period
Elsewhere, Virgin Atlantic has resumed daily services between
Heathrow and Shanghai and is in partnership with China Eastern for
further connections.
United Airlines is ramping up flights Down Under, announcing the
largest South Pacific network expansion ever to and from the continental
United States, with new destinations and additional routes.
The carrier will operate its first ever non-stop flight between San
Francisco and Christchurch, together with new direct flights from Los
Angeles to Brisbane and Auckland.