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Friday, May 18, 2012

► RÉUNION: Air Austral quits Sydney, Nouméa; starts Bangkok via Chennai.

Air Austral
Reunion-based carrier Air Austral (UU), has decided to cancel its two weekly flights to Nouméa, New Caledonia, via Sydney, Australia with effect from 28 October 2012, in what is seen as a knock on effect of the continuing Euro-zone crisis that has been affecting airlines the world over.
Air Austral
Air Austral Boeing 777
The French Overseas Territory carrier had initially planned to axe the route, along with several others to the French mainland beginning summer of this year, but later reconsidered.
"An Air Austral Boeing 777 has been linking Noumea with Paris, flying via Sydney and La Reunion since early 2009.

In December, the airline said the high cost of jet fuel forced the suspension of the flights but in February it decided to keep flying the route. The latest change has been due to ongoing losses.

New Caledonia’s daily paper says the end of the service has caused concern among travellers whose route to France is now likely to be almost exclusively via Japan."

In other Air Austral related news, the carrier has announced via Twitter, a new service to Bangkok via Chennai, India to be operated with a Boeing 737-800. No schedule has yet been released.