Overview
It has been another bullish week in Asia-Pacific aviation as Boeing revised upward its aircraft demand forecast for China to 6,330 new airframes by 2034, in spite of the recent economic turmoil roiling the country’s economy. Meanwhile, the region’s remaining first-half earnings reports trickled in as the week progressed. Unsurprisingly, the Chinese carriers and Air New Zealand continued to impress investors with their robust growth and profit figures. In Taiwan, hopes are high that Mainland authorities will soon lift the ban preventing passengers to transit through the island to third country destinations, while in South Korea, Asiana Airlines has decided to remove first class from its fleet amid growing financial concerns. For Airbus, it must have been a disappointing week. Firstly, AirAsia X cancelled some of its A330s and then Vietnam Airlines said it would not firm its options on the A380.
Boeing lifts Mainland aircraft demand forecast Read More »
Airline News
Air New Zealand posts record profit as it takes on ‘Air Sydney’
Air New Zealand (Air NZ) has reported a net profit of NZ$327 million ($213 million) for the financial year ended 30 June 2015, an increase of 24% over NZ$263 million posted in the previous year. Read More »
Airline News
AirAsia X cancels 12 A330s as ‘sacred date’ at MAS nears
Kuala Lumpur-based AirAsia X has cancelled the remaining twelve of its order for 31 A330-300ceos from Airbus to stem losses at the group’s Malaysian long-haul subsidiary. Read More »
Airline News
Landmark development in cross-strait aviation
Taiwan and the Mainland last week signed a landmark civil aviation safety pact that will allow certified technicians on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to perform scheduled aircraft maintenance and inspections and use repaired or replacement parts manufactured on either side. Read More »
Airline News
Asiana removes first class, Korean receives B747-8
Asiana Airlines, South Korea’s second largest carrier, last week said it would remove first class from the majority of its aircraft as part of a strict cost-cutting program. Read More »
Airline News
It was a bad news week for Airbus’ A380 program. The Vietnamese government last Wednesday said it would not exercise the options on the four A380s it signed for in 2009. Read More »
Airline News
More Mainland airlines report record profits
Adding to the significant profits recorded at China Eastern Airlines and Hainan Airlines, Air China last Thursday posted a first-half net profit of 3.9 billion yuan ($610 million), up 721% from the 474 million yuan it reported in the year-ago period. Read More »
People
International Air Transport Association (IATA) chief executive and director-general, Tony Tyler, will retire next year after serving five years in the position. Read More »
Short Takes
ROUTES: Air India Express has launched thrice-weekly Varanasi-Sharjah B737-800 operations. American Airlines will cease its daily Philadelphia-Tel Aviv A330-200 service from January 5, but will continue to codeshare with partner El Al on the route. Read More »
