A trusted source of Asia-Pacific commercial aviation news and analysis


APRIL 2016

Orient Aviation April 2016

DELIVERING ON HIS DYNASTIC DESTINY
Cebu Pacific Air boss, Lance Gokongwei, learnt the family business at his father’s knee, but even he was surprised when Gokongwei Snr. told him twenty years ago “to go start an airline”

• Technology’s threats top aviation risk agenda

• Alarm over India’s proposed air rights sell-off

• Asian airports sweep 2016 Skytrax awards

• SPECIAL REPORT: China battles bilateral barriers

 

Cover Story

Delivering on his dynastic destiny

Twenty years ago, Philippines tycoon, John Gokongwei, bought four DC9 passenger jets and told his only son Lance, then aged 28, “to go start an airline”. Two decades on, Lance Gokongwei has done exactly that – and then some. Read More »


 

Main Story

Technology’s threats

An inability to keep up with technological change is the number one risk for airlines, the preliminary findings of a survey of senior aviation executives by global advisory, broking and solutions company, Willis Towers Watson (WTW) has revealed. Read More »


 

Special Report

Bilateral barriers

At the latest count, China’s four largest airlines - Air China, China Southern, China Eastern and Hainan - had a combined fleet of 1,440 passenger jets and another 457 aircraft on order. Read More »


 

News Backgrounder

China races to keep ahead of passenger demand for a ‘smart’ travel experience

Chinese airports and airlines are outspending the rest of the world in bringing the latest information technology to their customers, reports air transport communications and information specialists, SITA. Read More »


 

News Backgrounder

Alarm bells triggered as India debates air rights sell off

An Indian government policy change that would allow auctioning of air traffic rights, an initiative that would create a precedent in the global industry, has drawn flak from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Read More »


 

News Backgrounder

A330neo to debut “Airspace by Airbus”

Airbus unveiled its “Airspace by Airbus”, “based on ambience, comfort, services and design” in the cabin before global aviation media in London last month. Read More »


 

Manufacturers

Embraer’s new jet will build markets in the region

It’s the regional jet that’s not a regional jet, Embraer said when it rolled out its E190-E2 jet at the company’s headquarters in Brazil on February 25. And the Brazilian manufacturer believes it could win big sales in the Asia-Pacific. Read More »


 

Addendum

Pie in India’s sky as government touts nation as global hub

No one questions the fact that India is one of the world’s fastest growing aviation markets, despite its reputation for being somewhat chaotic. Read More »


 

Addendum

Boeing’s 787-10 roaring to rollout

It is unusual nowadays that the building of a new passenger jet is running on schedule, but that is the case with Boeing’s latest offering to the marketplace, the B787-10 Dreamliner variant. Read More »


 

Addendum

Asian airports sweep Skytrax awards

Six of the world’s top ten airports in 2016 are from the Asia-Pacific, Skytrax World Airports announced last month, with Munich Airport, Zurich Airport, London Heathrow and Qatar’s Hamad International Airport filling the remaining four slots. Read More »


 

Addendum

Rich versus poor divide haunts emissions negotiations

Remember the furore over the European Union’s (EU) unilateral imposition of a carbon emissions trading scheme for airlines in 2012, only called off after the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) agreed to work towards a global plan of achieving carbon neutral growth for aviation from 2020? Read More »


 

Addendum

Blind faith or insider’s knowledge?

Is he being over-optimistic? Saif Mohammad Al Suwaidi, director general of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has declared the frequently bitter war of words between the major U.S. airlines and their Gulf rivals over alleged subsidies at the Middle East carriers should be resolved by the end of this year. Read More »


 

Addendum

Global traffic through Dubai accelerating

Dubai International Airport (DXB) recorded record monthly traffic in January, of 7.3 million passengers, slightly ahead of its previous best of 7.2 million passengers last August. Read More »


 

Addendum

Leadership shifts at Boeing

Under fierce competitive pressure from rival Airbus, Boeing last month announced its biggest program management reshuffle in years, undertaken to significantly reduce its overheads. Read More »


 

Comment

The risks of technology’s advance

Asia-Pacific airlines are no strangers to the multitude of potential risks to their businesses. Read More »