Global Reshuffle: Airlines Add, Cut and Restore Routes for 2026

ALMATY — Air Astana (KC) plans to add Tokyo Narita to its network in November, while WestJet has removed three European routes from its summer 2027 schedule. Other changes include Riyadh Air’s planned Jakarta service and expanded regional connections at Andorra-La Seu d’Urgell Airport.

Air Astana Plans Japan Service

Air Astana is scheduled to start twice-weekly Almaty (ALA)–Tokyo Narita (NRT) flights on November 30, 2026, using Airbus A321LR aircraft. Departures from Almaty are scheduled for Mondays and Thursdays, with returns from Narita on Tuesdays and Fridays.

The launch is subject to government approval and would be the airline’s first route to Japan, according to Aviation Week. The service is planned as a codeshare with Japan Airlines (JL).

WestJet Removes Three European Routes

WestJet (WS) has removed Halifax (YHZ)–Copenhagen (CPH), Halifax–Madrid (MAD), and Toronto Pearson (YYZ)–Glasgow (GLA) from its summer 2027 schedule. AeroRoutes reported that the routes had been unavailable for reservations since September 21.

The Halifax routes were additions for summer 2026, each scheduled at four flights a week at peak. Toronto–Glasgow returned that summer after a gap dating to 2022, also with four weekly Boeing 737-8 flights, according to *Aviation Week’s* May 2026 report.

The Copenhagen withdrawal also affects a connecting itinerary WestJet developed with SAS (SK). The airlines’ expanded codeshare provided onward connections across Scandinavia, with SAS placing its code on the Halifax–Copenhagen service.

WestJet told Aviation Week that fuel costs, softer demand and increased demand for other destinations contributed to the suspensions.

Riyadh Air Plans Jakarta Service

Riyadh Air (RX) plans to start three weekly flights between Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport (RUH) and Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK) on November 16, 2026, using Boeing 787-9 aircraft. The Saudi Press Agency reported the opening of ticket sales on October 5.

Jakarta is the airline’s 16th destination available for booking. That count refers to destinations on sale, including future service, rather than 16 routes already operating.

Chalair Plans a Permanent Base

Chalair Aviation (CE) plans to base an aircraft year-round at Andorra-La Seu d’Urgell Airport (LEU) in Spain from January 2027. The Andorran government’s new service program calls for two weekly flights each to Madrid, Palma de Mallorca (PMI) and Paris-Orly (ORY), with Madrid and Palma frequencies increasing progressively to three a week.

Nice (NCE) and Lyon (LYS) are planned for summer 2027, followed by Nantes (NTE) in winter 2027–28. Paris-Orly adds a year-round French link to a program that already serves Madrid and Palma; the permanent aircraft base is a new element of the concession.

Vancouver Return and Moab Service

Beijing Capital Airlines (JD) scheduled its return to Vancouver (YVR) on October 2, 2026, with weekly Hangzhou (HGH)–Qingdao (TAO)–Vancouver flights. The filed schedule uses an Airbus A330-300 initially, changing to an A330-200 from October 16. The Qingdao stop means the Hangzhou–Vancouver service is direct, rather than nonstop.

SkyWest Airlines (OO) began daily Delta Connection service between Canyonlands Regional Airport (CNY) in Moab, Utah, and Salt Lake City (SLC) on October 1. According to the Moab Office of Tourism, the CRJ550 service runs through US Thanksgiving before a winter pause, with a return scheduled for March 2027.

The tourism office also said SkyWest’s United Express flights from Moab to Denver (DEN) are scheduled to start October 7. That service is year-round, with one or two daily roundtrips using 50-seat CRJ200 aircraft.