Finnair is still looking to launch its Busan-Helsinki route, even if the plan has hit a snag for the time being due to commercial reasons, executives from Finland’s flagship carrier told reporters during a press conference, Thursday. In March 2020, Finnair was scheduled to launch the route to become Korea’s first overseas carrier connecting the two cities. But the unexpected outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic put a temporary halt to those plans. However, the airline said that it has “never given up” on the plan, but will keep its promise to implement the route at some point in the future when geopolitical uncertainty around the globe starts to be alleviated. The ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia ended up extending the carrier’s flight time for its route between Incheon and Helsinki, as the airline cannot fly through Russian airspace while operating the route. This will also be the same case for a possible route between Busan and Helsinki, according to Finnair. “Busan is indeed on our radar for the future,” Finnair CCO Ole Orver said during the press conference in Seoul. “But it is not commercially feasible for us to operate the route in Busan for now.”<br/>
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Malaysia Airlines is considering ordering as many as 45 new aircraft — 35 narrowbodies and 10 twin-aisle jets — to support its long-term growth plans, Group Managing Director Izham Ismail told Bloomberg News. The widebody order would be for delivery from 2030, Ismail said Thursday at the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines’ annual meeting in Singapore. For the single-aisle jets, the carrier will contact manufacturers for bids in Q1 2024 and aim for first deliveries in 2028, he said. Malaysia Airlines already has 20 Airbus SE A330neos on order and 25 Boeing Co. 737 Max jets due to join its fleet. The Max deliveries have been held up by bulkhead checks, but the airline expects the first to come within a week.<br/>
Japan Airlines expects to take delivery of two Airbus A350-1000s – its new long-haul flagship — before the end of 2023, as it eyes a “competitive” edge on its trans-Pacific services. The airline will take delivery of another five A350-1000s in 2024, says senior vice-president for route marketing Ross Leggett. JAL has 13 -1000s on order, which the new type to replace its fleet of Boeing 777-300ERs. JAL executive vice-president Shinichiro Shimizu says that the airline will deploy the type on flights to North America, and eventually replace all the 777-300ERs currently in operation. However, he declines to comment on which other cities it is considering. Both Shimizu and Leggett were speaking to FlightGlobal at the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines’ Assembly of Presidents in Singapore. Shimizu says the airline expects “more competitive service” on its trans-Pacific operations with the A350’s new cabin products. In October, JAL unveiled details of the A350 configuration – including seat count – for the widebody twins, picking Safran to provide the premium-class seats, with Recaro supplying those in the economy cabin. First- and business-class seating will for the first time feature enclosed private suites, while premium-economy seats are fixed back, says JAL. The airline’s first -1000 was to have entered service in November, coinciding with the start of the Northern Winter schedule, but supply chain delays pushed the launch timeline to the right. <br/>