Delta Air Lines is set to suspend its Auckland service over the winter in a move that may help push up prices for Kiwis travelling to the United States. Delta was the first of three American airlines to announce a seasonal service between Auckland and Los Angeles in 2023. When United and American Airlines followed, Delta made its non-stop route a year-round service. But, just six months after it made its New Zealand debut, the airline has confirmed plans to pause the route. A Delta spokesperson told Stuff Travel the airline would suspend the service from August through September “to better fit our schedule to the seasonal demand environment”. The airline plans to resume the route on October 2. “Customers with impacted travel will be proactively notified by Delta and re-accommodated on alternate arrangements,” the spokesperson said. It remains to be seen what the 2025 schedule will look like.<br/>
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North Asian carriers have steadily broadened their route networks, as IndiGo doubles frequencies on the Delhi-Phuket route. Korean Air plans to launch a direct daily service on the Seoul Incheon-Macau route from 1 July. The addition of Macau follows Korean’s resumption of services to the Chinese cities of Zhangjiajie and Zhengzhou from late April. In addition, Korean will operate a series of scheduled charters between Seoul Incheon and Lisbon between 11 September and 25 October, operated three times weekly. “The scheduled charter flights are the only nonstop flights between Northeast Asia and Lisbon,” says Korean. “Previously, travellers had to transfer in neighbouring countries such as France and Spain, or switch to land transport upon arrival in Europe. The new direct flights will streamline the journey, making trips to Lisbon and its adjacent cities more accessible.” Korean low-cost carrier T’Way Air has also commenced a daily service on the Busan-Nha Trang route. Air Astana, after suspending services from Astana to Seoul Incheon during the coronavirus pandemic, will return to the route on 15 June, operating a daily Airbus A321LR service. The service will be operated on a codeshare basis with Asiana Airlines. (Story has more.)<br/>