ANA will launch a new Tokyo Narita-Chennai route from 27 October. The thrice-weekly flights will be operated by a Boeing 787-8s with 169 seats. ANA is the first carrier to operate on the route, which is its third destination in India after Mumbai and Delhi. “It is always exciting to add a new destination, but it is even more significant to be the only carrier offering connecting this growing region with Japan,” says Seiichi Takahashi, ANA’s senior vice-president. International passenger service is the group’s main revenue source, he adds, and thus hopes to improve its market share. As previously announced, ANA will also commence Tokyo Narita-Perth flights on 1 September.<br/>
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Air New Zealand will make changes after a lawyer complained to the Commerce Commission over scarcity pricing tactics. Barrister Michael Wigley - whose criticism over opt-out insurance led to a formal warning for the airline in 2015 - has gone to the regulator over the Air NZ's use of the phrase 'Flight Selling Out'. He made the complaint after seeing the phrase when booking flights on his mobile. He said he got to the fine print after scrolling through 13 flights which showed: "Selling out means be quick - there are fewer than 5 seats at these prices." The reference is to the seats at a certain price being low, not the flight being close to full. The airline responded, "in hindsight we believe 'fewer than five seats available at these prices' would better reflect the message we are trying to convey to customers." "We are progressively amending both our mobile and desktop booking flows," a statement from the airline said. The airline didn't address the question of how long it had used the tactic. Air NZ, which was recently crowned New Zealand's most trusted brand by research firm Colmar Brunton, said it had not yet received any notification from regulators about the complaint that was made earlier this month. The Commerce Commission said it was still reviewing the most recent complaint. It received two others about scarcity tactics in the past 12 months, but has taken no action.<br/>
EgyptAir’s air-bridge to carry the Egyptian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia’s Mecca for the 2019 Hajj season kicked off on Thursday, July 18. The first flight took off from the Cairo International Airport early Thursday to Saudi Arabia. The State-owned company organized a total of 315 flights this year; 206 flights to Jeddah and 145 flights to carry 41,000 Egyptian Pilgrims. The last Hajj flight to Saudi Arabia will be on August 5, while the first return flight was scheduled for August 14. Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. Hajj season will start this year on August 9 and end on August 18, 2019. <br/>