Airlines

Swiss and KLM boost trend to reconnect Europe with China

SWISS resumes Duty Free Shopping on board

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is to resume passenger services to and from Mainland China. SWISS will initially offer one weekly non-stop flight between Zurich and Shanghai from 3 March. Service on the route should then be expanded to three weekly frequencies from April onwards. The flights will generally be operated using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, or alternatively Airbus A340-300.

In addition to resuming its Zurich-Shanghai passenger flights, SWISS will also be increasing its service to and from Hong Kong from five to six weekly frequencies in the 2023 summer schedules.

Singapore Airlines will expand its Airbus A380 service to Australia while concentrating on its Asian network.(Opens in a new browser tab)

And KLM will operate a service three times a week from Amsterdam to Hong Kong. Starting with six non-stop flights to both Beijing and Shanghai, planning to increase daily services in May. Beijing hereby returns to the network.

The increased number of flights from 26 March, 2023, marks the next step in the resumption of routes from and via Amsterdam to Greater China. The Chinese market is important to the KLM network, because of the level of demand from business travellers.

The planned schedules for the summer schedule are as follows:

Amsterdam – Hong Kong Tues./Thurs./Sat.
Hong Kong – Amsterdam Wed./Fri./Sun.

Amsterdam – Beijing daily
Beijing – Amsterdam daily

Amsterdam – Shanghai daily
Shanghai – Amsterdam daily

Detailed flight times, days and fares may be consulted on KLM.com or in the KLM app

Airlines

Qatar Airways Adds Direct Toronto-Amritsar Flights with Stopover in Doha

Qatar Airways has made travel easier for passengers by announcing a new three-weekly non-stop service between Toronto, Canada, and Doha, Qatar, starting on December 11, 2024.

This new route provides seamless connectivity for travelers heading to Amritsar, offering a convenient alternative for the Punjabi diaspora in Toronto who wish to avoid the hassles of transiting through Delhi airport.

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In a joint press release, Anantdeep Singh Dhillon, FlyAmritsar Initiative North America Convener, and Sameep Singh Gumtala, Global Convener, highlighted that this new route addresses the long-standing demand for better travel options to Punjab.

With this service, Amritsar will now have ten weekly flights to Canada via Doha, making the journey simpler and more comfortable for travelers who previously had to deal with long road trips, multiple layovers, and extended check-ins.

Flight Schedule and Connectivity

The qatar air line from Amritsar will depart at 4:10 a.m. (local time) and arrive in Doha at 6:05 a.m. (local time). After a layover of 3 hours and 45 minutes, passengers will board the qatar airways flight from Doha to Toronto at 9:50 a.m. (local time) on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, landing in Toronto the same day at 3:55 p.m. (local time).

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On the return journey, the qatar airlines will depart from Toronto at 8:00 p.m. (local time) and arrive in Doha at 4:30 p.m. (local time) the following day. From there, passengers will catch the connecting flight to Amritsar at 8:40 p.m. (local time), reaching their destination by 2:40 a.m. (local time). The total travel time qatar seatmap for the journey is approximately 20 hours and 10 minutes.

This new route is a significant relief for travelers who have often faced the challenges of long road journeys to Delhi, lengthy layovers, and multiple check-ins. By streamlining the travel process, qatar Airways ensures a smoother and faster journey, enhancing the overall travel experience for passengers traveling between Canada and Punjab.