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Korean Air is proving its resilience with agile decision-making at a time of global aviation uncertainty. The company is the only airline here and abroad to report a surplus for nine consecutive quarters from the second quarter of 2020 despite the global pandemic shock. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company focused on enhancing its in-flight safety to ease customer concerns over the rapidly spreading infectious disease. Care First, an integrated hygiene program created by Korean Air, provided comprehensive guidance to customers, raising awareness of hygiene activities at each stage of air travel. The airline produced videos demonstrating its commitment to preventing the spread of the pandemic. Via the safe air circulation system on flights, the carrier helped minimize the spread of the virus in-flight and further ease passenger concerns. Critically, the company minimized potential losses from its passenger jet business by placing a more strategic focus on cargo planes during the pandemic era. It utilized its fleet of large cargo aircraft and even transformed passenger jets into cargo planes. In recognition of its agile decision-making, the company was named the 2021 Airline of the Year by Air Transport World, an award known colloquially as the "Oscars of the global aviation industry." It also won the 2022 Cargo Operator of the Year award in June 2022. For the time being, Korean Air is accelerating efforts to resume its passenger routes. To differentiate itself from its rivals, the company plans to launch new services for its customers in line with growing travel demand.<br/>

A direct air route linking Wuhan and San Francisco resumed on Saturday, according to China Southern Airlines, the flight's operator. A Boeing 777 aircraft carrying 283 passengers took off from Wuhan Tianhe International Airport at 3:30 p.m. (Beijing Time), marking the resumption of the first direct passenger flight between central China and the United States following the COVID-19 pandemic. The outbound flight CZ659 leaves Wuhan at 3:10 p.m. (Beijing Time) every Saturday and arrives in San Francisco at 11:55 a.m. local time. The return flight CZ660 takes off from San Francisco at 12:55 p.m. local time and arrives in Wuhan at 6:40 p.m. (Beijing Time) the next day, the company said.<br/>

China Eastern Airlines has started flights linking Auckland with Sydney and the Chinese city of Hangzhou. Flight MU731 landed in Auckland from China just after 9am on Monday and then took off for Australia nearly three hours later. There will be four services a week; two will be direct from Hangzhou to Auckland with a return via Sydney, while the other two flights will visit Sydney first before travelling to Auckland and then back to Hangzhou. The airline will use its Airbus A330 for the route. One-way fares between Auckland and Sydney start at just over NZ$240, and between Auckland and Hangzhou, also one-way, at under $590. Currently, China Eastern Airlines flies daily between Shanghai and Auckland. When the service was announced last month, an Auckland Airport spokesperson told Stuff Travel: “China Eastern Airlines have been flying to Auckland Airport since 2014, connecting through to Shanghai up to 11 times a week prior to the pandemic. “With the additional four services per week originating from Hangzhou to Auckland, China Eastern Airlines will be returning to its pre-pandemic frequency.” It won’t be the only new route from China operating in New Zealand this week. China Southern Airlines returns to Christchurch on Friday. The service to Guangzhou started in 2015 but was paused due to the pandemic in 2020.<br/>

Garuda Indonesia swung back to a nine-month loss despite an increase in revenues, on the absence of restructuring gains and as it took a hit from foreign exchange losses. For the nine months to 30 September, the Jakarta-based carrier posted a pre-tax loss of $103m, against the $3.9b profit in the year-ago period. Revenue for the nine months rose about 48% year on year to $2.2b, led by a rise in passenger travel revenue. The airline saw a 7% rise in costs to almost $2b, with passenger services and flight operations expenses seeing the largest increase. Still, the airline was able to slash its MRO-related costs, as well as administrative expenses. Garuda incurred $13m in foreign exchange losses for the period, compared to the $103m gain in the year-ago period. Furthermore, the airline did not report any income gained from debt restructuring, unlike in the year-ago period. The airline disclosed a net loss of $72.4m for the nine-month period, a sharp contrast from the $3.7b net profit last year. Garuda ended the period with nearly $352m in cash and cash equivalents, lower than the $522m at the start of the year. Still, it is a higher figure than the $168m in cash in the year-ago period. <br/>