Incheon International Airport will become a hub for Asia's first direct flight to Salt Lake City, United States, operated by Delta Air Lines starting in June next year, the airport operator said Friday. Delta plans to operate the route daily using Airbus A350-900 aircraft, which have a capacity of 275 seats. Salt Lake City, the state capital of Utah, is a major base for Delta Air Lines in the U.S., operating 84 American domestic routes and several routes to Mexico and Canada. The new service is expected to convene passengers traveling between the U.S. and Korea. Home to the Rocky Mountains, world-class ski resorts and five national parks nearby, Salt Lake City is acclaimed for outstanding natural scenery and cultural festivals along with winter sports and the Sundance Film Festival. Also known as "Silicon Slope," the region houses IT companies such as Adobe, eBay and Oracle. Thus, not only travel demand but also commercial demand is expected to be significant. "With the introduction of the Salt Lake City route, there will be more options for passengers heading to North and South America," Incheon International Airport Corp. President and CEO Lee Hag-jae said. "We will continue to expand our aviation network through various aviation marketing activities, including routes to the Americas."<br/>
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Italy's ITA Airways said on Friday it expects passenger revenue to increase by a quarter in 2024 from last year as it flies with fuller planes, after core profit turned positive in the first half. The Italian state-controlled carrier, which is soon to enter the Lufthansa group, expects full-year sales to hit E2.7b, with its load factor set to rise above 80% from 79% currently, CFO Claudio Faggiani said. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) turned positive, at E62m, and cash reserves edged up to E393m. Revenue rose to E1.4b in the first half of the year on a 26% jump in passenger numbers to 8.3m. "The cash allows the company to support the investment plan, which has more than doubled compared to the previous year," Turicchi told reporters in Milan. Germany's Lufthansa received the green light in July to take a 41% stake in ITA for E325m, after a long negotiation with Brussels which involved ceding routes and slots to rivals to address competition concerns. Turicchi said the company was confident of closing the deal by the Nov. 4 deadline. The conditions attached to the EU's approval raised fears that ITA - which took to the air in 2021 replacing bankrupt Alitalia - may lose interest in investing in Milan's Linate airport to the benefit of Rome's Fiumicino airport.<br/>
China's financial hub Shanghai launched its first direct air route to Kazan, Russia, expanding travel options for the upcoming National Day holiday. Operated by China Eastern Airlines, flight MU5065 departed from Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Saturday afternoon, carrying 240 passengers. Round-trip flights are scheduled three times a week. Previously, travelers between Shanghai and Kazan had to transfer at a third location, such as Moscow or Dubai, resulting in an average travel time of over 15 hours. With the introduction of direct flights, the lengthy journey has been significantly reduced to just nine and a half hours. Earlier this year, China Eastern Airlines opened a direct route linking Moscow and northeast China's Shenyang. To date, the airline operates six direct air routes between China and Russia.<br/>