Sky news: Finnair, WestJet, Avianca, Air India, American Airlines, Etihad Airways, United Airlines, etc.

US President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he had ordered the reopening of Venezuelan airspace to commercial flights after a conversation with the country’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez. « I just spoke with the president of Venezuela and informed her that we will be reopening all commercial airspace over Venezuela. American citizens will very soon be able to travel safely to Venezuela, » he explained during a cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House. Direct flights between the two countries had been suspended since 2019.

Air Canada announced the resumption of its direct flights to Quito starting this December. The service will include three weekly flights between Montreal and Quito, and one weekly flight between Toronto and Quito. Air Canada will operate these flights with Boeing 787 Dreamliners with a capacity of 255 passengers.

Pegasus Airlines has been operating direct flights between Istanbul and Ljubljana since January 26, adding Slovenia to its rapidly expanding international network and bringing the number of countries served to 55. This new connection between two major European cities will offer affordable and comfortable travel options, while strengthening ties between Turkey and Slovenia.

Air India has just announced the acquisition of 30 additional Boeing aircraft, including 20 737-8s and 10 737-10s. This order brings Air India’s total number of firm orders with Boeing to 250, including the 220 aircraft ordered in 2023. The airline has so far received 52 Boeing aircraft, including 51 737-8s currently in service with Air India Express, an Air India subsidiary, and a new 787-9 that will enter commercial service between Mumbai and Frankfurt, Germany, on February 1, according to the company.

Avianca will launch a summer service between San Francisco and Guatemala City on June 1, connecting to San Salvador, El Salvador, the airline announced on January 30. Flights will operate four times a week until August 31.

Porter Airlines will add new routes to the United States for its summer season, the airline announced on January 29. Daily service between Toronto’s Billy Bishop Airport and Nashville will begin on May 11. Twice-daily service between Toronto Pearson Airport and Boston will begin on May 14, as will daily service between Montreal and Boston.

SAS will relaunch its daily service between Copenhagen and Dubai on October 25 for the winter season, the airline announced on January 29. Flights will be operated by Airbus A320neo aircraft. This is the airline’s first service to the United Arab Emirates since 2011, according to SAS.

Air Canada will launch seasonal flights between Quito, Ecuador, and Toronto and Montreal this winter, the airline announced on January 28. Flights to Montreal will begin on December 4 and will operate three times a week. Flights to Toronto will begin on December 5 and will operate once a week. Air Canada will also operate year-round service between Toronto and Manchester and Copenhagen starting in October. On December 17, the airline will also launch seasonal flights between Vancouver and Sapporo, Japan, with three weekly flights.

The fierce competition between American Airlines and United Airlines at Chicago O’Hare International Airport has resulted in both carriers announcing several new domestic routes. On January 27, United announced the launch of five new summer destinations from the airport. Flights to Champaign/Urbana, Illinois, and Kalamazoo, Michigan, will begin on April 30. On May 7, flights to Lansing, Michigan, La Crosse, Wisconsin, and Bloomington/Normal, Illinois, will also launch. Each of these five new routes will operate four times a week.

American Airlines plans to add four new year-round routes to its network this spring, the airline announced on January 22. On April 7, it will launch daily service between Los Angeles and Cleveland, Ohio, and Washington, D.C., operated with Boeing 737s. On May 21, it will inaugurate flights between Chicago O’Hare and Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Columbia, South Carolina, with two daily flights operated with Embraer 170s.

WestJet plans to launch service between Calgary and São Paulo, Brazil, on November 8, the carrier announced on January 19. Flights will be operated three times a week with Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.

Etihad Airways plans to launch service between Abu Dhabi and Luxembourg on October 29, the airline announced on January 9. Flights will be