Overview
It has been an interesting week in Asia-Pacific aviation as Thai Airways International (THAI) chief Charamporn firmly stated his carrier has no use for 14 long-haul jets on order from Airbus and Boeing. In the Middle East, Qatar Airways and Emirates Airline signalled new interest in the A380, although both carriers acknowledged a significant decline in premium traffic and yields. In India, the fifth Indian Aviation Show is underway in Hyderabad where the government pledged $12.1 billion in development funds for the aviation sector. In Taiwan, the Evergreen Group board ousted EVA Air chairman, Chang Kou-wei, the choice of the late Chang Snr, who passed away in January.
THAI CEO: “We don’t need these planes” Read More »
News
Qatar Airways adds 14 destinations in 2016 and revisits A380 option
Speaking at ITB in Berlin last week, Qatar Airways CEO, Akbar Al Baker, announced the addition of 14 destinations to the carrier’s network this year, including the world’s longest flight, between Doha and Auckland, which is 339kms more than Emirates Airline’s Dubai-Auckland service. Read More »
News
China Eastern looks for investors, Juneyao to triple fleet by 2020 and Azul pilots joining HNA
Shanghai’s China Eastern Airlines said it wanted to reduce its state-owned equity and allow for more capital injection by inviting another strategic investor to the table. Read More »
News
Air New Zealand yield down 4.7% ahead of United Airlines joint venture
Air New Zealand (Air NZ) this week said it carried 1.24 million passengers in February, a 9% improvement on the previous year, as Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPKs) increased 10.3%, on 9.9% ASK growth. Read More »
News
EVA Air board ousts chairman, China Airlines outlines A350 plans and LCC V Air expands
There was big drama at Evergreen Group headquarters in Taipei last Friday. The group’s heir apparent and head of EVA Air, Chang Kuo-wei, was ousted as chairman, effective immediately, following an unscheduled board meeting. Read More »
News
Philippine Airlines aims for five-star rating and partners with SITA for free Wi-Fi
Philippine Airlines (PAL) has an ambitious plan: By 2020, it aims to lift its three-star Skytrax rating to five stars, joining All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, Garuda Indonesia, Hainan Airlines, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines as the best Skytrax carriers in the world. Read More »
News
India aspires to be the world’s third largest aviation market by 2020; Air India to post profit?
As part of its 12th five-year plan (FYP), which runs until the end of 2017, India plans to be the world’s third largest aviation market by 2020 as passenger throughput is expected to increase to 450 million from 159.3 million annually in 2013. Read More »
News
Air Mauritius plans “air corridor” with Singapore’s Changi airport
Air Mauritius this week launched its first nonstop A330-200 flight to Singapore, replacing Kuala Lumpur as its Asian transfer hub, as the island nation looks to the Asia-Pacific for new business, marketing itself as an international financial centre, Bloomberg reported. Read More »
People
Mannion retires from Royal Brunei after successful restructure
After five years as deputy chairman of Royal Brunei Airlines Dermot Mannion has announced he will retire from the airline on the completion of his term of office. Read More »
Short Takes
AIRLINES: The Wall Street Journal reports Air France has dropped an order for two A380s in favour of three A350s. Flydubai has been granted IATA membership after a successful safety audit last year. Read More »
