This week’s long-haul flight schedule changes from Europe: What you need to know
January 31, 2026
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 16th edition.
It’s a busy week in terms of changes. Several adjustments have been made to existing routes, while a flurry of new long-haul services are also going to be introduced (or resumed).
This includes Thai Airways‘ new daily flight to Amsterdam beginning as early as this summer, Gulf Air‘s return to Malaga on a narrowbody A320 family jet and SAS‘ exciting expansion to Dubai World Central and several destinations in Asia from its Copenhagen hub.
Biman Bangladesh – which announced last week that it would be ending service to Manchester – has decided to redeploy capacity to London Heathrow with a frequency from Dhaka. This will complement existing service from Sylhet and serve to alleviate some of the capacity loss from Manchester.
Air Canada features yet again this week with its Airbus A321XLR network changes. In last week’s update, only Montreal to Toulouse flights were listed for the upcoming winter season. This week, it has revealed the destinations it hopes to serve and has added them to schedules. Copenhagen and Manchester will both join the network from Toronto at the end of October as it introduces a new A321XLR base at its largest hub.
In less positive news, Iberia is extending the suspension of its Caracas flights through the end of March 2026 as the security situation remains unstable. ITA Airways is removing flights from Rome to Bangkok in May and June this year, reportedly for operational reasons, but this has not been confirmed by the airline.
This week’s airline schedule changes
Using data from aviation analytics firm Cirium, the following 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
- Air Canada introduces a new Airbus A321XLR base at Toronto Pearson Airport, introducing year-round flights to Manchester 4x per week and replacing widebody planes on winter flights to Copenhagen 3x per week.
South Atlantic
- Plus Ultra Airlines introduces long-awaited Madrid to Buenos Aires flights to schedules, operating 4x weekly beginning end-May 2026. It will be served with an Airbus A330-200.
- Avianca increases Madrid to Bogotá flights from 26x to 28x weekly in S26.
- Iberia removes Madrid to Caracas flights until end-March 2026.
Africa
- Air France adjusts triangular CDG-ZNZ-JRO-CDG routing to CDG-JRO-ZNZ-CDG, operating twice weekly in non-peak S26 and 5x weekly in July and August.
Middle East
- Gulf Air reintroduces seasonal Bahrain to Malaga flights, operating twice weekly with an Airbus A321neo from June 2026. Last service on 25 September 2026.
- SAS introduces daily flights between Copenhagen and Dubai World Central Airport with an Airbus A320neo from winter 2026.
Asia
- Thai Airways adds Bangkok to Amsterdam flights daily from S26 using Airbus A350-900 equipment. It already serves nearby Brussels.
- Biman Bangladesh Airlines adds Dhaka to London Heathrow rotations 1x weekly, complementing 5x weekly Sylhet flights.
- China Eastern Airlines introduces 3x weekly flights between Vienna and Xi’an with an Airbus A330-200.
- Turkish Airlines doubles down on Shanghai with 11x weekly flights from Istanbul, up from 7x, beginning S26.
- ITA Airways temporarily suspends Bangkok flights in May and June 2026.
- Japan Airlines reduces Helsinki to Tokyo Haneda flights from 7x to 5x weekly from S26.
- SAS adds winter seasonal flights between Copenhagen and Phuket (3x weekly), as well as Krabi (2x weekly) onboard Airbus A350 aircraft. Both begin in December 2026.
Air Canada adjusts Airbus A321XLR network with new Toronto base
Air Canada has made changes to its planned Airbus A321XLR network later this year. Last week, AGN reported the carrier’s plans for reduced operations this summer on some of its routes. It decided to switch out the aircraft type on what was meant to be its inaugural route, operating from Montreal to Palma de Mallorca.
The only year-round transatlantic destination listed in schedules until this week was Toulouse, which launches this summer as well. With the beginning of Airbus A321XLR flights from Toronto, the carrier’s winter network with the type will expand further with flights to Copenhagen and Manchester.
Manchester and Copenhagen will operate year-round with the type as of 25 and 27 October 2026, respectively.
Scandinavian Airlines’ Asian expansion
Scandinavian Airlines is adding three destinations to its Asian network, including one in West Asia: Dubai. As identified by The Engine Cowl, the choice of Dubai World Central (DWC) over the much busier Dubai International (DXB) is interesting. The publication suggested that the launch of DWC is down to slot-constraints. For the same reason, flynas flies to both Dubai airports.
The carrier will use an Airbus A320neo on the route on a daily basis beginning 25 October. The service will operate winter-seasonally, contributing to higher aircraft utilisation rates during the non-peak season. It is also a low-risk decision as the plane is much smaller than a narrowbody.
Aside from Dubai, it is also adding two destinations in Thailand. Thanks to the delivery of two additional Airbus A350 aircraft in time for the upcoming winter season, the new routes to Phuket and Krabi will operate thrice and twice weekly, respectively. Krabi will launch on 8 December, and Phuket will follow the day after.
ITA Airways suspends Bangkok for 2 months: Is this due to a lack of available capacity?
ITA Airways is suspending flights to Bangkok for two months in May and June 2026. Local media have suggested that the suspension is due to a lack of aircraft availability, with Airbus A330neo capacity lacking.
According to Italiavola, the route was meant to operate daily as it did last year, but is instead moving to just three weekly frequencies for the start of the summer season at the end of March. In May and June, the route will be suspended temporarily.
The carrier is introducing a new route between Rome Fiumicino and Houston as of 8 May 2026, operating three times per week with an A330neo. The publication highlights that the company is short at least three A330neo planes that it was meant to receive from the Airbus factory over the last few months.
Featured image: Christian Palent | stock.adobe.com
