Each week, Aerospace Global News takes a look at some of the long-haul route changes to and from Europe, all of which are subject to further adjustments. This is the 11th edition.

So far, the schedule update has exclusively revealed important changes in the market including Azul’s suspension of the Paris route, JetBlue end to flights to Amsterdam, and LOT Polish Airlines’ decision to end flights to Mumbai in favour of Delhi.

In this week’s edition, there are equally important changes. Network planners – in full festive spirit – filed a host of changes. This includes LEVEL’s brand-new route to Lima, Perú, finally linking Barcelona to its largest unserved destination in Latin America.

Other relevant changes include Pakistan International Airlines’ long-awaited return to London Heathrow and IndiGo’s plan for flights to the English capital from Delhi.

Oman’s SalamAir is also beginning its expansion into Central Europe with a new route from Muscat to Vienna – and plans for plenty more.

This week’s schedule changes

Using data from aviation analytics firm Cirium, the below is a non-exhaustive list of developments this week. For readability purposes, adjustments that extend to a large part or the entirety of the 2026 summer season have been listed as ‘S26’. For the 2026/2027 Winter season, this is listed as ‘W26’.

Long-haul is defined as flights over 3,000 miles, meaning not all Europe to non-Europe flights are included, but only those that meet the threshold.

The sample was selected based on relevance and market trends, and does not include smaller changes such as minor aircraft changes with a limited impact on capacity. As always, schedules are subject to change. And, as we have seen in previous editions, they do.

North Atlantic

• ITA Airways increases Rome Fiumicino to Miami flights from daily to 9x weekly for S26.
• Condor reduces Frankfurt to Las Vegas from 5x weekly to 3x weekly for S26, same as S25.

South Atlantic

• LEVEL introduces Barcelona to Lima route, 3x weekly with an Airbus A330 from S26.
• Neos maintains 1x weekly nonstop Milan Malpensa to Cartagena for the duration of W25.
• TAP Air Portugal suspends Caracas flights through March 2026 given the security situation.
• Plus Ultra suspends Caracas flights until March 2026.

Africa

• Air France appears to be suspending all flights to Bangui, Central African Republic from the end of January 2026. It currently flies 1x weekly.
• Air Europa adds Madrid to Johannesburg 3x weekly from S26 with a Boeing 787.

Middle East

• Luxair appears to be suspending its (winter seasonal) flights berween Luxembourg and Dubai World Central Airport from W26, though this has not yet been confirmed. Flights are no longer available for booking from mid-November.

Asia

• IndiGo introduces 5x weekly flights between London Heathrow and Delhi onboard a wet-leased Boeing 787 aircraft from Norse Atlantic Airways from S26.
• Pakistan International Airlines returns to London Heathrow with a route from Islamabad 4x weekly on a Boeing 777.
• China Airlines increases Istanbul to Beijing from 3x weekly to 5x weekly from S26.

LEVEL adds Barcelona’s largest unserved destination in Latin America 

LEVEL has announced it will be launching flights to Barcelona’s largest unserved destination in South America: Lima, Perú. The new route will begin on 3 June 2026 and will operate thrice-weekly with an Airbus A330.

In its official route announcement, the carrier said that the new launch “reinforces its firm commitment to the development of intercontinental connectivity from Barcelona and responds to the growing demand for flights between both countries.” It also noted that the route caters to both tourism and business demand.

The service will also facilitate connections on “other flights”. From Barcelona, customers can choose from a wide range of connecting options through Vueling, a low-cost short-haul International Airlines Group subsidiary.

As it is a low-cost carrier, the connecting options are not always ideal, though there are some reasonable possibilities for most routes at competitive prices.

Connections beyond Lima are not available, per the carrier’s website.

The International Airlines Group’s expansion in the Europe-South Atlantic market comes after LATAM announced considerable increases, particularly to Spain. Aside from its new routes to Amsterdam and Brussels, it is boosting capacity on most of its core European routes next summer.

SalamAir begins European expansion with Vienna launch

Although this route just misses the long-haul distance criteria laid out above as it is only 2,835 miles long, SalamAir has announced a noteworthy connection between Muscat and Vienna.

It marks the start of its venture into the Central European market. Till now, its access to the Central European region ensured through its cooperation with Oman Air. The two companies, both government-owned, codeshare on several routes.

SalamAir customers can book flights on Oman Air services to Frankfurt, Milan and Munich, for instance for select itineraries beyond Muscat.

The new non-stop route to Vienna – on which it will have a complete monopoly – will be serviced by its A320 family fleet and is the company’s third-longest route. It will begin in June 2026, three times per week, with each leg taking roughly 6 hours to complete.

SalamAir’s longest routes in 2026

Source: Cirium

Oman has been the source of several interesting routes recently. As we reported in last week’s schedule update, Oman Air recently launched an unusual fifth-freedom route between Muscat and Copenhagen via Baghdad.

Air Europa adds Johannesburg

Air Europa will become the only airline connecting Spain with South Africa, with its new route from Madrid to Johannesburg. `The service will begin on 24 June 2026.

The flight has been in the works for some time now. A few weeks ago, it emerged that the Spanish Directorate General of Civil Aviation had approved up to nine weekly flights between the two countries.

Air Europa requested to take three of them.

Johannesburg will be the company’s only long-haul destination in Africa, and its fourth on the continent overall. It currently flies short-haul routes to Tunis, Tangier and Marrakesh from Madrid.

Featured image: SockaGPhoto / stock.adobe.com

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