Japan MLIT suspend U/L Rule for Tokyo and Osaka
Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism today announced temporary suspension of the “U/L (Use or Lose) Rule” at Tokyo Narita and Osaka Kansai airport.
Under the rule, if a carrier failed to utilize its slot at least 80% in Summer 2009, they’ll lose the slot in Summer 2010
However, due to current Economic crisis and H1N1 Influenza, leading to the downturn of air traffic, the ministry has decided to temporary suspend such rule. This is in particular due to service out of Tokyo, which 16% of overall international service saw average load-factor less than 40% in May 2009.
In the press statement, it says the European Union and Australia has also suspended the U/L Rule for 2009 Northern Summer season.
SWISS/TAM Codeshare begins
SWISS has started placing its “LX” code on selected routes operated by TAM. The codeshare service is currently unilateral. The list is the following:
| Route | LX Codeshare | JJ Operating |
| Sao Paulo – Buenos Aires | LX4094 | JJ8000 |
| Buenos Aires – Sao Paulo | LX4095 | JJ8019 |
| Sao Paulo – Porto Alegre | LX4096 | JJ3501 |
| Porto Alegre – Sao Paulo | LX4097 | JJ3162 |
| Sao Paulo – Rio de Janeiro | LX4098 | JJ8081 |
| Rio de Janeiro – Sao Paulo | LX4099 | JJ8018 |
| Sao Paulo – Santiago de Chile | LX4092 | JJ8026 |
| Santiago de Chile – Sao Paulo | LX4093 | JJ8027 |
SriLankan changes on Tokyo service
As per GDS timetable display on 12JUN09, SriLankan Airlines is slightly adjusting its service to Tokyo
Current 2 weekly Colombo – Male – Tokyo vv routing from 01JUL09 becomes Colombo – Tokyo – Male – Colombo:
UL460 CMB2340 – 1150+1NRT 343 37
UL461 NRT1320 – 1920MLE2030 – 2225CMB 343 14
There is no changes to existing 1 weekly Colombo – Tokyo vv
UL454 CMB2340 – 1150+1NRT 343 5
UL455 NRT1320 – 1850CMB 343 6
Korean Air 73H routes
As per GDS timetable display on 12JUN09, few other Korean Air service is showing 73H (737-800 with Winglet) in service, so it looks like the Skyteam carrier is progressively installing winglets on its 737s.
The 73H is operating selected and/or all flights on the following routes for the rest of Summer:
Seoul – Akita
Seoul – Aomori
Seoul – Chiang Mai
Seoul – Jinan
Seoul – Kota Kinabalu
Seoul – Nagasaki
Seoul – Phnom Penh
Seoul – Qingdao
Seoul – Vladivostok
Seoul – Wuhan
Seoul – Xiamen
Seoul – Yantai
Korean Air A300 and 73H to Vladivostok
As per GDS timetable display on 12JUN09, Korean Air is operating Airbus A300-600R on 1 of 5 weekly Seoul – Vladivostok route.
The A300 operates on Day 6 from 27JUN09 to 29AUG09.
Also, it should be noted that this route is displaying service operated by 737-800 with Winglet (73H), which is a bit unusual as the airline doesn’t seem to have installed winglets on 737 fleet.
Estonian Air changes to London Gatwick
As per GDS timetable display on 12JUN09, the following is the changes to Estonian Air’s Tallinn – London Gatwick service
CRJ900 replacing Boeing 737-300 starting 30AUG09. Current 2 weekly service (Day 47) is increasing to 4 starting 16OCT09 (Day x236)
Lufthansa Bangalore reduction in W09/10
As per GDS timetable display on 12JUN09, Lufthansa is reducing Frankfurt – Bangalore service to 6 weekly from 25OCT09 for the Winter season.
Service on Day 2 from FRA is cancelled
Midwest Airlines resume nonstop Milwaukee – LA/Louisville
Midwest Airlines has announced it’ll be resuming NONSTOP service from Milwaukee to Los Angeles and Louisville. The schedules are:
Milwaukee – Los Angeles eff 01AUG09
YX1501 MKE0900 – 1130LAX E90 x7
YX1501 MKE1230 – 1500LAX E90 7
YX1502 LAX1210 – 1800MKE E90 x7
YX1502 LAX1540 – 2130MKE E90 7
Milwaukee – Louisville begins from 02AUG09
YX2791 MKE0720 – 0940SDF CRJ x7
YX2795 MKE1825 – 2045SDF CRJ x6
YX2799 SDF1005 – 1020MKE CRJ x7
YX2798 SDF2110 – 2127MKE CRJ x6
Gulf Air A330 to Shanghai
Gulf Air has switched its Bahrain – Shanghai 4 weekly service from Airbus A340-300 to A330-200, and will be maintained during 2009/10 Winter season
ETIHAD capacity adjustment to Jeddah in W09/10
As per GDS timetable display on 12JUN09, ETIHAD is slightly adjusting its capacity on the Abu Dhabi – Jeddah route in the 2009/10 Winter season.
Currently, Winter 09/10 season showing EY311/312 operating on Day x246 with 777-300ER, EY313/314 operating on Day 246 with A330-200.
Service is currently a Daily 777-300ER.
Air Dominicana takes off 01AUG09
Air Dominicana is launching operation on 01AUG09 with Santo Domingo – New York JFK and Santo Domingo – Miami service. Each operates 1 Daily with 737-400. The Schedules are the following:
ED101 SDQ0725 – 1125JFK 734 D
ED102 JFK1225 – 1625SDQ 734 D
ED131 SDQ1730 – 2000MIA 734 D
ED132 MIA2100 – 2310SDQ 734 D
Note that the airline code is ED, noted on the website and Sabre. But for some reason in Amadeus it shows as Air Europa’s UX code instead
Emirates 777-300ER to Luanda
As per GDS timetable display on 12JUN09, Emirates’ planned new 3 weekly Dubai – Luanda service is now showing Boeing 777-300ER operating, instead of A330-200.
The new service begins from 02AUG09
2 More Air India 747-400 route to Jeddah
As per GDS timetable display on 12JUN09, Air India is replacing Airbus A310 with Boeing 747-400 on the following service starting 01JUL09
Kozhikode – Jeddah
Shamshabad/Hyderabad – Jeddah
