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Hainan, Brussels Airlines and Frontier Lead This Week's New Route News

Sometimes it’s hard to stay on top of all the new route announcements that come our way, so we’ve complied a little bit of a rundown below. As long as you can afford the fares, this should definitely help add to your passport stamp collection.

· Brussels Airlines:
If you’re still thinking about heading across the pond this summer it might be time to finally make a decision, as Brussels Airlines just announced that they’re starting up some brand new nonstop flights between Washington Dulles International Airport and Brussels Airport.

The flights are set to start up for the first time on June 18, so this is pretty much perfect for your summer holiday over in Europe. Airbus A330s will be doing the heavy lifting across the Atlantic, as the flights are scheduled to head back and forth five times per week. There’s solid in-flight entertainment across both cabins, and if you upgrade to business class you’ll even score yourself a fully flat bed—as your seat. Finally, the carrier is part of the Star Alliance, so feel free to cash in some of those United MileagePlus frequent flyer miles.

· Spirit Airlines:
They must be doing something correctly over at Spirit Airlines, as it seems like they’re always stealing a spot in our new route roundup. This week they’re at it again, as they’re looking to connect Las Vegas with Baltimore.

The new flights are set to take to the skies as soon as April 25, and the plan is to fly them back and forth each and every day of the week. Flights head out of Baltimore around 7:30pm and are scheduled to arrive over in Las Vegas at around 9:30pm—all times local. Heading out of Sin City en route to Charm City it’s going to be a redeye flight leaving at just before midnight and arriving back on the east coast at 7:20am.

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The Nose Knows a Good Airline Pilot?

In some of the more bizarre airline news we've come across, Hainan Airlines has begun the recruitment of a whole crew of fresh pilots to take their planes, including their Dreamliners, up into the sky. That's not the bizarre part. A crucial step in the recruitment process is a body-odor check. Yep, a recruiter smells the pits of potential pilots; boy, that's the pits.

After an extensive assessment process of technical skills and personality interviews, the flight deck hopefuls have to get their underarms smelled for potential offensive body odor. Since the airline's pilots do interact with passengers, it makes sense to ensure that no interaction turns sour because of a little foul smell. A recruiter has even noted the parallel to the on-the-job duties by saying, "If they can keep their cool in this test, they aren't going to sweat in the cockpit."

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Boeing's 787 Dreamliner: Who's Got It and Who Desperately Wants It

As we type this very sentence, Air India flies at cruising altitude on the long journey that will take their first Boeing 787 Dreamliner all the way from South Carolina to New Delhi.

And yet it seems like only yesterday we were perched atop the Future of Flight Center in Everett, WA, in the early morning cold and mist, as the absolute very first Dreamliner was delivered, to Japanese carrier ANA. In fairness it's been a solid year since then and while five airlines now boast Boeing 787s in their fleets, there's a whole slew more champing at the bit to get their mitts on the sleek plane.

Let's review who's got it and who wants it, shall we?

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If You Haven't Flown 'Em, They're New to You

We're a bit embarrassed to admit that today was the first we'd ever heard of Hainan Airlines. We're clearly behind the times on this one, as the carrier is China's fourth-largest and the country's biggest privately-owned airline.

Hainan is now making its first flights to America, with four-times-a-week service between Seattle and Beijing, giving you another non-stop option between the US and the Olympics. (Don't get your hopes up, though: Hainan doesn't use the new Terminal 3.)

For now, Hainan is flying Airbus A330s, but once Boeing finally rolls out the Dreamliner, you'll be able to fly SEA-PEK in carbon fiber bliss.

Related Stories:
· Airport Check-in: Seattle Beijing Service Starts [USAToday]
· New Airlines coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo of a 737: Drewski2112]