Here’s our weekly roundup of new air routes and codeshare partnerships
Vietjet announces inaugural air service connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Auckland
Vietjet Air has announced an inaugural air service between Vietnam and New Zealand with the upcoming launch of a Ho Chi Minh City-Auckland service.
The route will commence in September 2025, with four return flights per week. Seat classes include Business, SkyBoss, Deluxe, and Eco.
This service comes as the two nations elevate relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and ahead of the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties. The route is expected to further boost trade, tourism, and cultural exchanges between the two countries.
Emirates opens routes to Shenzhen, Danang and Siem Reap
From July 1, Emirates will launch daily non-stop flights between Dubai and Shenzhen.
The airline will also introduce four weekly services to Danang on June 2 and three weekly flights to Siem Reap from June 3, with both cities connecting via Bangkok.
This latest expansion marks Emirates’ fourth gateway into the Chinese mainland, third destination in Vietnam and second point in Cambodia.
EK328 will depart from Dubai at 1005hrs, arriving in Shenzhen at 22.00. The return flight EK329 departs Shenzhen at 23.55, landing in Dubai at 03.40 the next day. This route will be operated by the airline’s retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER.
Flights to Danang will operate with the Emirates Boeing 777 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Emirates flight EK370 will depart from Dubai at 09.00 and arrives in Bangkok at 18.25. The flight will then depart from Bangkok at 20.10 and arrives in Danang at 21.50. The return flight EK371 will depart from Danang at 23.30 and arrives in Bangkok at 01.10 the next day. The flight will then take off at 03.40hrs, arriving in Dubai at 06.50.
Air India announces shorter transit times between Kuala Lumpur and European destinations
Air India has reduced connection times between Kuala Lumpur to London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam via India, to about 2.5 hours.
The airline has launched a campaign called Via to highlight these improved connection times and promote India as a world-class hub.
The optimised flight schedule makes Air India flights among the fastest for travel between Malaysia and Europe, with sufficient transit times at Air India’s hub in Delhi.
Air Astana brings Danang closer with direct flights from Almaty
Starting June 4, Air Astana will introduce a new direct route from Almaty to Danang in Vietnam on the Airbus A321LR aircraft.
Flights will operate twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with a flying time of seven hours and 10 minutes. Flight KC599 will depart Almaty at 00.55 and arrive in Danang at 10.05, with the return flight, KC600 departing Danang at 11.45 and arriving in Almaty 17.00.
The launch of this new twice weekly service will increase the number of Air Astana scheduled flights to Vietnam to nine. Existing operations include four flights a week between Almaty and Nha Trang, plus three flights per week between Astana and Nha Trang.
The seasonal route from Almaty and Astana to Phu Quoc will continue to operate until March 31.
