AeroTime
• Jean Carmela Lim
Qatar Airways will expand its winter 2026-27 network beyond 170 destinations, adding new routes, restoring services and increasing frequencies across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Americas and the Middle East. The schedule will operate through Doha’s Hamad International Airport, with nearly 1,800 weekly flights planned.
Asia-Pacific (APAC)
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Qatar Airways will expand its winter 2026-27 network beyond 170 destinations, adding new routes, restoring services and increasing frequencies across Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Americas and the Middle East. The schedule will operate through Doha’s Hamad International Airport, with nearly 1,800 weekly flights planned.
Embraer has unveiled the first C-390 Millennium in the colors of Uzbekistan’s Air and Air Defence Forces, marking the type’s entry into Central Asia. The aircraft appears to have originally been prepared for delivery to Brazil, suggesting a reassignment in the program’s customer pipeline.
The Royal Australian Air Force has declared initial operational capability for two long-range strike capabilities: JASSM-ER integration on its F/A-18F Super Hornets and LRASM on its P-8A Poseidon fleet. The milestone expands Australia’s ability to conduct stand-off land-attack and anti-ship missions.
Vietravel Airlines is poised to order 50 Airbus aircraft for delivery from 2029, including A220s and long-range A321XLRs. The fleet expansion would introduce Vietnam’s first A220s and significantly increase the airline’s capacity and network-planning options.
Australian Earth-observation company LatConnect 60 has signed two strategic agreements in India covering satellite mission infrastructure and access to the country’s defense and geospatial-intelligence markets. Announced at the Bengaluru Space Expo 2026, the deals support the company’s expansion of its SWIRSAT business in India.
High activity
The agreements position Airbus to support an expansion by Vietravel Airlines, which is targeting a larger fleet and international network, while Vietnam Airlines added five A350-900s to its post-2030 fleet strategy. The commitments reinforce Vietnam’s importance as a fast-growing Southeast Asian aviation market.
High activity
Korean Air and Asiana Airlines plan to begin offering free Starlink inflight connectivity on selected services from Sept. 15, 2026. Korean Air’s initial rollout covers three Airbus A350-900s and one Boeing 777-300ER, with broader plans to equip the Hanjin Group airlines’ fleets.
China Southern Airlines has received final approval to issue up to 5.4 billion new A shares to no more than 35 investors, including its controlling shareholder, China Southern Air Holding. The equity raise could provide up to CNY15 billion ($2.2 billion) in fresh capital for the carrier.
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