Overview
It has been a fast-developing week in Asia-Pacific aviation as the HNA Group launched the world’s first low-cost carrier (LCC) alliance in Hong Kong, while HNA full-service carrier, Hainan Airlines, started a new Changsha-Los Angeles link. In Japan, All Nippon Airways (ANA) continues its growth spurt with a new service to Phnom Penh and in South Korea, flag carrier, Korean Air, has been given an ultimatum: increase pilot wages by 37% or face an unprecedented walk-out. In Thailand, Thai Airways International (THAI) continues to struggle. This week it decided to defer all its A350s. Further south things look much better as Singapore Airlines (SIA) confirmed its new Canberra/Wellington link. Meanwhile, after years of restructuring, Spain’s Iberia has announced its return to the Asia-Pacific with services to Shanghai and Tokyo.
HNA carriers launch world’s first LCC alliance Read More »
News
Gulf Air confirms 40 Airbus and Boeing orders at Bahrain Air Show
Bahraini flag carrier, Gulf Air, has adjusted a previous order with Airbus to sign on for an increased fleet of A320neo family aircraft, including 17 A321s and twelve A320s, with deliveries from 2018. The commitment will replace the carrier’s 22 A320ceo family jets. Read More »
News
Korean Air pilots demand 37% pay rise in 2016
Labour union rows over pay are not unusual. But in current negotiations between two pilot unions and Korean Air, the gap in expectations is unusually large. The South Korean flag carrier proposed a 1.9% increase over 2015 levels while the pilots have demanded a 37% pay rise, reported the Korea Herald. Read More »
News
Not a single week goes by without more worrying news emerging at Thai Airways International (THAI). On Wednesday, the Thai flag carrier said it would delay the delivery of 14 aircraft – twelve A350s and two B787s – for three years to reduce operating costs. Read More »
News
Philippine Airlines files complaint against Kuwait Airways
Philippine Airlines (PAL) has filed a petition with the Civil Aeronautics Board of the Philippines (CAB) seeking the revocation of fifth freedom rights awarded to Kuwait Airways between Bangkok and Manila after the Kuwaiti Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) failed to reciprocate in kind and denied PAL fifth freedom passage between Dubai and Kuwait. Read More »
News
ANA continues growth spurt with Phnom Penh launch; JAL builds biofuel plant
Japan’s largest carrier, All Nippon Airways (ANA), is expected to launch a daily B787-8 service between Narita and Phnom Penh from September 1 and is committed to a daily Narita-Wuhan route from April. Read More »
News
SIA confirms Canberra/Wellington in partnership with Virgin Australia
Singapore Airlines (SIA) confirmed mid-week that it would launch a four-weekly B777-200ER Singapore-Canberra-Wellington service from September 20. Read More »
News
Bloomberg: Iran to acquire Airbus aircraft by July
A Bloomberg report, which cited internal Iranian government sources, has suggested Iran Air could receive its first A320 and A340 aircraft, acquired directly from manufacturer Airbus on leaseback, “as early as July”. Read More »
News
Iberia adds Shanghai and Tokyo to its network as parent IAG mulls leased A380s/B777s
Iberia has announced that pending government approvals, it plans to return to the Asia-Pacific during the fourth quarter of the year with flights to Pudong and Narita. Read More »
News
Airbus delivers first A320neo, announces order book changes
Airbus on Wednesday quietly delivered the first A320neo to launch customer, Lufthansa, following a delay from the re-engined narrowbody’s planned end-of-2015 delivery schedule. Read More »
People
Former CAAC boss expelled from party and office, CSA chairman resigns
Zhou Laizhen, former deputy director of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and public office for multiple offences, including graft and hindering official investigations. Read More »
Short Takes
AIRLINES: Airberlin has won a court appeal over codesharing rights with parent Etihad Airways, reversing an earlier judgment and allowing the two carriers to continue operating 26 out of 31 codeshare flights through to March 26. Read More »
