Planning an airline’s network in normal times is challenging enough but deciding what routes to fly during the pandemic has been fraught with difficulties for all carriers around the world.
Transavia strategic network planning managers Oliver Newton and Niek de Rijk have lifted the lid on how they have gone about planning the Netherlands-based LCC’s network since the onset of the pandemic and the process with which they are approaching the rest of the year and into summer 2022.
Speaking during an Airline Briefing session as part of Routes Reconnected, de Rijk said planning is much more short-term than it was previously. The KLM subsidiary is currently optimizing its schedule for the period between May 24 and the end of June, making changes based on levels of demand and any travel restrictions in place.
By Cirium2021-04-29T01:43:00+01:00
SriLankan Airlines is rebuilding its passenger network in line with its cargo operations, after the carrier experienced a near-total collapse of its tourism sales last year as a result of Covid-19, chief executive Vipula Gunatilleka has disclosed.
Whereas pre-pandemic the carrier brought around 30% of all tourists to Sri Lanka, it’s network is now based around long-haul freight routes to Australia and Europe, with an increased presence in Germany and the UK.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
A Srilankan A330-300 takes off from Tokyo Narita in 2015
“Being an island nation we found lots of opportunities as a cargo trade [destination]”, Gunatilleka told the Routes Reconnected online event on 28 April, explaining that the revenue stream is strong enough to justify the purchase of two dedicated freighter aircraft, adding: “We will start with one and add another in time to come.”
CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech (
pictured) outlined the airline’s ambitious plans to focus on restoring leisure capacity at Routes Reconnected 2021.
Despite the planned restoration of its leisure schedule, overall capacity will be well down on 2019 levels, indicating a change in strategic direction, von Hoensbroech noted.
“We all expect that leisure travel will recover faster than business travel,” he said April 27. “Austrian fortunately always had a certain focus on leisure travel and we are expanding that focus.
“So our current thinking of the summer is that our overall network will reach maybe 50% of pre-COVID level by July or August. Our leisure network will reach 100% of pre-COVID levels.”