Here’s our weekly roundup of new air routes and codeshare partnerships

Philippine Airlines restarts seasonal Manila-Sapporo route
Philippine Airlines (PAL) will resume seasonal direct flights between Manila and Sapporo from November 24, 2025 to March 27, 2026. The service will reconnect the Philippine capital with northern Japan during the winter travel season.

Flights to Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport will operate every Monday, Wednesday and Friday using the airline’s Airbus A321neo aircraft. PAL intends for this route to operate during every subsequent winter season from November to March.

The 168-seat Airbus A321neo is configured with 12 business class and 156 economy class seats, and is equipped with in-flight entertainment and Wi-Fi.

PAL operates an extensive network between the Philippines and Japan, offering direct services to Osaka Kansai, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Tokyo Haneda and Tokyo Narita, as well as flights from Cebu to Osaka Kansai and Tokyo Narita.

Loong Air adds Xi’an-Kuala Lumpur flights
Loong Air has launched its new Xi’an-Kuala Lumpur service, with the inaugural flight arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2 today. The route marks a step forward in strengthening tourism and economic ties between Malaysia and China.

The launch was marked by a ceremony attended by senior officials from Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Airports Holdings and Loong Air.

The route is operated using a 174-seat Airbus A320 and runs three times weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Vietjet to launch daily Danang-Kuala Lumpur service in October
Vietjet will introduce a new direct route between Danang and Kuala Lumpur, beginning October 26, 2025. The daily round-trip service will enhance connectivity between central Vietnam and Malaysia’s capital city.

This marks Vietjet’s third direct route linking Vietnam and Malaysia, and follows the airline’s continued network expansion across South-east Asia. The new service comes after the introduction of 12 international routes in 2025, including new destinations in China, India, Japan and Singapore.

Saudia, Vietnam Airlines sign codeshare agreement
Saudia, the national carrier of Saudi Arabia, has signed a codeshare agreement with Vietnam Airlines to improve connectivity between Vietnam and Saudi Arabia.

The agreement allows passengers to travel on flights connecting Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with Jeddah and Riyadh, and to book itineraries through either airline, including flights operated by the partner carrier. The arrangement aims to offer greater flexibility and a more streamlined booking experience.

The partnership supports Saudia’s plans to expand its network and enhance passenger services, both on the ground and in the air. It also supports Saudi Arabia’s aim to connect with over 250 destinations and attract 150 million visits by 2030.

COPENHAGEN — China Eastern Airlines on Thursday launched a new direct route between China’s Shanghai and Denmark’s Copenhagen, strengthening air connectivity between the two countries.

An Airbus A330 aircraft landed at Copenhagen Airport at 7 pm local time, where it was greeted with a traditional water salute. After two hours, the return flight departed Copenhagen, carrying over 250 passengers back to Shanghai.

A ceremony was held at Copenhagen Airport’s terminal to celebrate the inaugural flight. China Eastern Airlines prepared special commemorative gifts for passengers on both the outbound and return journeys.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Denmark Wang Xuefeng said the new route creates another “air bridge” between China and Denmark, helping to deepen practical cooperation in various fields, enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, and promote business exchanges and collaboration.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The new route will initially operate three flights per week on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Starting Sept 24, the service will expand to four weekly flights, adding a flight on Wednesdays.

Aegean Airlines has announced the addition of two new Airbus A321neo XLR (Extra Long Range) aircraft, enabling the airline to significantly expand its international reach, including its much-anticipated entry into the Indian market. The state-of-the-art aircraft, with a flight range of up to 10.5 hours, will support the launch of direct flights from Greece to India, starting in March 2026.

The airline has confirmed it will commence five weekly flights to New Delhi from March 2026, followed by three weekly flights to Mumbai from May 2026, establishing its first two destinations in India. The full flight schedule and ticket availability will be announced by the end of September 2025. Aegean is also evaluating further expansion in the Indian market with future connections to Bangalore, as well as other long-haul destinations including the Seychelles, Maldives, Nairobi, Almaty, and Lagos, aligned with the delivery of additional A321neo LR aircraft in 2027 and 2028.

With this latest addition, AEGEAN’s total Airbus A320/A321neo order now stands at 60 aircraft, 36 of which have already been delivered. The new A321neo XLR aircraft are configured with just 138 seats, featuring 24 fully lie-flat Business Class Suites with aisle access and premium privacy, and a spacious Economy Class equipped with 4K entertainment screens, satellite Wi-Fi, USB charging, and enhanced overhead bins, promising a superior long-haul experience.

The aircraft will be delivered in December 2025 and January 2026, bolstering Aegean’s specialized fleet for long-haul destinations beyond the EU, particularly those exceeding four hours in flight duration.

Eftichios Vassilakis, Chairman, Aegean stated, “The addition of these two A321neo XLR aircraft with special configuration, which will be delivered in 2025, in addition to the four A321neo LRs that we plan to take delivery in 2027 and 2028, accelerates our access to the extremely important Indian market, but also allows for the immediate upgrade of our product and services to destinations outside the EU, longer than 4 hours in which we already operate. The A321neo XLR and LR aircraft mark the beginning of a new chapter for Aegean, with new possibilities for growth but also new options for our passengers and the connectivity of our country. With new fleet capabilities, strong vertically integrated support infrastructure and most importantly drawing upon the creativity and strengths of our people, we plan to move forward with ambitious but also careful and consistent steps as always.”