December 1st 2024

Print Friendly

MAY

A Singapore Airlines (SIA) 777-300ER, registration 9V-SWM, suffered a severe turbulence incident this month en route from London Heathrow to Singapore (as SQ321). Read More »

One person died and scores of passengers suffered injuries during the terrifying episode, which initial investigations described as an “uncommanded” increase in altitude and airspeed likely caused by an updraft.

The aircraft, carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members, was diverted to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi and was on the ground for a week before being ferried to Singapore. It has since returned to service.

As a result of the incident, several airlines worldwide reinforced rules for wearing seatbelts inflight even if the seatbelt sign is switched off to better protect passengers against unexpected turbulence.

The incident occurred a week after SIA Group reported its biggest ever full-year net profit, boosted by a rebound in air travel demand in North Asia after China, Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan re-opened their borders post-pandemic.

There also was positive news in the financial reports of other airlines in the region. Japan Airlines more than doubled its annual net profit against a year earlier. Cebu Pacific increased its first quarter net profit by 200% and Korean Air said its capacity was near to pre-pandemic levels except into China.

Despite the encouraging results, rising costs remained a concern. Additionally, several airlines again noted the impact on their bottom lines of inflationary pressures, supply chain constraints and geopolitical tensions.

In India, LCC IndiGo announced, alongside a doubling of quarterly net profit, that it intended to refit its narrow-bodies with a 2x2 seat business class layout to be branded as IndiGo Stretch. The product began flying in November.

Australia’s Qantas Group suffered more damage to its battered reputation during the month after it was fined A$100 million (US$66 million) and directed to pay A$20 million in compensation to 86,000 customers in a settlement with Australia’s competition regulator for “ghost flights”.

As part of the settlement, the airline group admitted it misled consumers by advertising tickets for tens of thousands of flights it had decided to cancel and that it cancelled thousands more flights without immediately telling ticket holders about the cancellations.

In Oceania, Air Vanuatu became the second carrier in the region to collapse into voluntary liquidation in 2024 after EY was appointed to take control of the airline. The liquidation was completed in October when the island nation’s government took charge of the airline in a court-approved restructuring.

At AirAsia group, AirAsia Cambodia became its seventh affiliate beginning operations with two A320s.