Updates airlines May '24
The most important airline updates in the month of May.
Aegean (A3) is celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary, and everyone gets to celebrate! Several discounts can be scored until 30/05/2024, with travel from 1/07/2024 to 29/03/2025.
- 25% off from 01/07/2024 to 31/10/2024
- 50% off from 01/11/2024 to 13/12/2024
- 25% off from 14/12/2024 to 08/01/2025
- 60% off from 09/01/2025 to 26/02/2025
- 25% off from 27/02/2025 to 04/03/2025
- 50% off from 05/03/2025 to 29/03/2025
Air Belgium's Judicial Reorganisation Procedure has been postponed again. The Walloon Brabant business court has granted an extension to the airline until 20 August. Specifically, Air Belgium would then inform its creditors about the repayment plan.
AJet, formerly known as AnadoluJet, is Turkish Airlines' new Turkish low-cost airline. It operates domestic flights and international flights to northern Cyprus, western Europe and western Asia from its base at Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW).
Lufthansa Group and thus also Brussels Airlines have been offering Green Fares 🍃 via our booking tool for some time now. By choosing this fare, you are also choosing for our planet. A particle of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is used when you book a Green Fare. These fares offer more flexibility such as more Miles accrual and free changes (subject to conditions). You can read more about it here.
From June, Play will fly to Iceland three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. OG217 departs Brussels Airport at 12h30 and arrives in Keflavik at 13h50. The return flight OG216 departs at 06h10 and lands in Brussels at 11h30.
The relaxed visa regime to China for Belgians, which we reported on in our March updates, has been extended. Until 31 December 2025, Belgian passport holders can travel visa-free to China for up to 15 days (14 nights) with the travel purposes of tourism, business, visiting family and friends and transit. Other types of travel fall under the normal regime.
Qatar Airways is improving its connection between Brussels and Doha, increasing the weekly number of flights to 12 from July 2024. This expansion meets the rising demand from Belgian travellers.
QR196 will fly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Departure is scheduled at 09h05 with arrival in Doha at 16h15. The afternoon flight QR194 departs daily at 16h35 and arrives in Doha around 23h45, ideal for connections to the Far East.
We attended Air Canada's first direct flight from Brussels to Toronto. Air Canada flies to Toronto three times a week with flight number AC827. From 1 June, it will be four times a week, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Departures will take place at 09h30 each time. Return flight AC826 will fly on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. Departing from Lester B. Pearson International (YYZ) at 18:30 and arriving the next day at Brussels Airport around 07h45.
From October 2024, Brussels Airlines will introduce weekly flights to Fuerteventura. Moreover, travellers can also enjoy additional winter flights to destinations such as Alicante, Faro, Gran Canaria, Hurghada, Krakow, Malaga and Tenerife.
Responding to increasing demand from travellers looking for winter adventures in the North, SAS is expanding its offer with five direct routes from Copenhagen, London and Aarhus from winter 2024.
The new routes:
- Aarhus-Scandinavian Mountains Airport (Sälen-Trysil SCR)
- London-Scandinavian Mountains Airport (Sälen-Trysil SCR)
- Copenhagen-Rovaniemi (RVN)
- Copenhagen-Kiruna (KRN)
- London-Tromsø (TOS)
The new Copenhagen-Rovaniemi route will be flown on Fridays and Mondays from 2 December to 6 February.
Aer Lingus (EI) announces it will fly direct to Las Vegas from Dublin. From 25 October 2024, the airline will soon fly 3 times a week directly to the entertainment capital of the United States. EI051 departs Dublin at 15h20 and arrives in Las Vegas at 17h50 (flight time 10h30). EI050 (on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays) flies from Las Vegas to Dublin in 09h35. Departure from LAS is scheduled at 19h35 or 20h35, with arrival in Dublin at 13h10 the following day.
Emirates is introducing a global Q surcharge for the summer. The surcharge is 3% of the base fare booked, valid for tickets issued after 8 May 2024 and departing from 24 June 2024 to 8 September 2024. Applicable to all booking classes/fares worldwide. TO fares enjoy a 1-month deferral from 7 May ‘24. So best issue your tickets before 6 June to avoid the surcharge.
Emirates' new A350 from September
Emirates has announced the first batch of destinations to be served by their new A350 aircraft from September 2024. 10 new A350s are expected to join the Emirates fleet by 31 March 2025.
These first 10 Emirates A350 aircraft will offer three cabin classes, with 32 new-generation Business Class seats, 21 seats in Premium Economy and 259 Economy Class seats. All these aircraft are destined for short- to medium-haul flights on the Emirates network, with Bahrain as the first destination. In Europe, the A350 will fly from Lyon, Edinburgh and Bologna.