Future plans

Present future Be + going + to infinitive

Be
New students are going to meet their teachers next week.

Present future
Be
In two days, I am going to fly to Halifax for a conference.

Be
What are you going to do this weekend?
In this case if we want to make these sentences more formal and more official we can remove going.

Future plans

Present future
Be
New students are going to meet their teachers next week.
Be + to infinitive
(Email sent to all the students) - formal

Official - formal
Present future
Be
In two days, I am going to fly to Halifax for a conference.
(Business meeting ) – official

Be
What are you going to do this weekend?
(In this example we haven’t to remove going because this sentence is not formal or official)
Here such examples:
I am to buy ice cream for dessert. (This is not informal or official situation)

I am going to buy ice cream for dessert. (I am gonna buy ice cream for dessert.)

Present future
The president’s convoy is to pass through Richmond Avenue at noon tomorrow. Formal/official
The president’s convoy is going to pass through Richmond Avenue at noon tomorrow.
Less formal
Convoy – a group of cars or trucks travelling together.
Students are to protest rising tuition at the nation’s capital. Formal/official

Students are going to protest rising tuition at the nation’s capital. Less formal
without be
Government to spend an extra $ 12.5m on flood defences.
Shortened version in a
headline.
(we even do not have the auxiliary verb is in this sentence)
Government is to spend an extra $ 12.5m on flood defences.
Full version in the body of
the text.
Government is going to spend an extra $ 12.5m on flood defences.

Past Plans
Be + to infinitive
Past present
A property development company was to cut down 200 – year-old oak tree. (oak – дуб)

Was going to cut down

Past present
The talk show audience was ecstatic to hear that they were all to receive a free 55’’ Tv.

were going to receive