Air Greenland has disclosed that it will inaugurate the new 2,220-metre runway at Nuuk International Airport with its Airbus A330neo aircraft. The aircraft, named Tuukkaq, will mark the first large aircraft to operate on the new runway, which is scheduled to open on 28 November 2024, the carrier says. "It has great symbolic significance that it is a red airplane from the flag carrier that inaugurates the full length of the runway, just as we also inaugurated the runway in 1979 with a Dash 7," the airline's chief executive Jacob Nitter Sorensen states. He adds: "Nuuk airport will be the new hub for international and domestic flights to the entire country, where passengers will change planes depending on their final destination, just as we see today in Kangerlussuaq." The airline notes that it is now making changes to its 2024 timetable to incorporate the route between Nuuk and Copenhagen. "As soon as we know the final airport charges and the last details of the flight pattern, we look forward to putting the new timetable on sale in all the known sales channels on Air Greenland's website and through travel agencies," Sorensen says.

Porter Airlines and Air Transat have announced an extension of their existing codeshare deal by signing a joint venture, as the two carriers seek to tap into each other's markets and expand their network. The airline says that the alliance expands services between North, Central and South America; Europe; North Africa; Mexico; and the Caribbean, integrating the "highly-complementary" and "non-overlapping" networks of Porter and Air Transat at Toronto Pearson and Montreal Trudeau airports. Air Transat says that in addition to continuing to facilitate feeder traffic between both airline's networks, the agreement will help Air Transat and Porter Airlines to coordinate flight schedules more closely and align their expansion and route development strategies. It will also foster stronger network optimization through collaboration on scheduling and route planning, Air Transat adds. The alliance will be gradually implemented throughout 2024. The deal will be a continuation of the codeshare arrangement between the airline and Porter that has been in effect since October 2022. Air Transat says the deal highlights the carriers' commitment towards long-term collaboration, allowing them to align their goals, strategies, and resources. "We are delighted to further extend our collaboration with Porter, a partner that shares our customer-centric approach and values," states Transat's president and chief executive, Annick Guerard. "Through this alliance, we will accelerate the expansion of our transatlantic footprint by allowing us to leverage the domestic market served by Porter, while allowing for a more efficient use of our fleet."

Adu Dhabi-based Etihad plans to operate its Airbus A380s on one of two daily services to New York JFK from April next year. The deployment of the aircraft, which it operates with 486 seats, including one three-room suite for two guests, “marks a significant enhancement to Etihad's capacity in the crucial US market,” the airline says. Etihad’s other daily connection to New York JFK operates with a Boeing 787-9. The US route is Etihad’s second destination after London to be served with the A380. “Putting the A380 on the popular New York route makes sense as we satisfy customer demand for more capacity, further growing our expanding network,” the Gulf carrier states. “The fact that our new route to Boston, Etihad’s fourth US gateway, will open on 31 March, three weeks before our A380 starts flying to New York, underlines our ambitious growth plans.” Etihad uses four A380s to cover three of four daily services to London. The carrier retains six A380s in storage, data shows, with some of these therefore expected to be brought back into service for the New York service. The entire fleet was placed in storage in 2020, amid the pandemic.