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Widebody aircraft play pivotal role in global flight operations this April

Widebody aircraft play pivotal role in global flight operations this April
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In April, the global aviation industry is anticipated to operate approximately 8,000 daily round-trip widebody flights, according to Cirium Diio data. This represents a 3% increase compared to the same period last year, though it remains 5% below pre-pandemic levels from April 2019. Over half of these flights are categorized as long-haul. This underscores the significance of widebody aircraft in both domestic operations, notably within China, Japan, and the US, as well as regional services, particularly in Asia and the Middle East.

Tokyo Haneda Airport maintains its position as the leading airport globally for widebody operations, thanks to its short-haul, high-frequency, and high-capacity services. Haneda Airport, being the closest to downtown Tokyo, will witness an average of 331 twin-aisle departures daily in the upcoming 30-day period, peaking at 336. Sapporo is identified as the top route, averaging 38 daily departures involving multiple aircraft types, prominently the Boeing 777-300.

A total of over 370 airports worldwide are scheduled to handle widebody flights this month, with approximately 70% of these services connecting Asia, not including the Middle East. Including the Middle East, this figure rises to 83%.

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London Heathrow Airport ranks third globally for widebody takeoffs, with 39% of its operations involving these aircraft types. Heathrow is noted for its slot limitations and emphasis on long-haul flights. "Around 95% of Heathrow's widebody services are long-haul, with closer links being to Algiers (Air Algerie A330-200), Helsinki (Finnair A350-900), Istanbul (Turkish Airlines 777-300ER/787-9/A330-200/A330-300/A350-900), Keflavik (Icelandair 767-300ER), and Madrid (Iberia A350-900/A330)," as noted in the data.

The list of the top 10 airports for widebody takeoffs in April includes:

1. Tokyo Haneda: All Nippon Airways leads with 46% of widebody aircraft movements.

2. Dubai: Emirates dominates with 78%.

3. London Heathrow: British Airways has a 32% share.

4. Singapore: Singapore Airlines operates 54% of the flights.

5. Doha: Qatar Airways manages an overwhelming 93%.

6. Beijing Capital: Air China leads with a 54% share.

7. Hong Kong: Cathay Pacific controls 57%.

8. Seoul Incheon: Korean Air makes up 38%, with this figure rising to 59% when Asiana Airlines is added.

9. Istanbul: Turkish Airlines handles 80%.

10. Taipei: EVA Air has a 35% stake in the operations.

Among the widebody variants, the A330-300 leads at five of the top 10 airports. Its regional prominence is evident at Hong Kong, where it flies an average stage length of 859 nautical miles.

Despite the Boeing 787-9 being a frequently flown widebody, it is notably absent from the top 10 airports list. In contrast, the Boeing 777-300ER is highlighted for its long range and capacity and features in three of these top 10 airports.

"Unsurprisingly, New York JFK is the leading North American market," although it ranks 13th globally with 4,565 scheduled takeoffs in April. Delta Airlines, with up to 48 daily departures, significantly outpaces American Airlines by more than threefold.

New York JFK's widebody services have increased by 2% compared to pre-pandemic levels, allowing it to climb in global rankings. This increase is further bolstered by declines at Tokyo Narita and Shanghai Pudong, which now have fewer twin-aisle operations.

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