Orient Aviation’s Week in the Asia-Pacific
By Dominic Lalk
What an exciting week in Asia-Pacific aviation. Australia and China scrapped the capacity cap for passenger travel between the two nations, paving the way for more Mainland carriers adding Australia to their fast-growing networks. China’s HNA Group announced five new routes to the UK in 2017, following a recent expansion of the air service agreement between Beijing and London. CAL and EVA posted healthy third quarter profits and are ready to take over defunct TransAsia’s lucrative cross strait flights. Korean Air is bracing for another pilot strike and Hawaiian Airlines is continuing its expansion with an Airbus top-up order. Separately, Dublin-based lessor AWAS is reportedly for sale, with Asian investors keen to acquire its 240-plus aircraft portfolio.
China and Australia scrap air passenger cap Read More »
News
China Airlines chairman sets sights on Europe
China Airlines (CAL) chairman, Ho Nuan-hsuan, wants his airline to become the Taiwanese market leader in Europe in 2017 by offering more non-stop services to the continent than local internatonal rival, EVA Airways. Read More »
News
Hawaiian orders one more A330, two A321neos
Hawaiian Airlines’ expansion continues. On Monday, the Honolulu-based carrier announced it had ordered an additional A330-200 on direct purchase from the manufacturer (for a total fleet of 24) and signed lease agreements for two extra A321neos. Read More »
News
China Southern orders 20 A350s, 10 B777-300ERs
Guangzhou’s China Southern Airlines, operating one of the largest aircraft fleets in the world, has placed firm orders for 20 A350-900s and 10 B777-300ERs, Orient Aviation learnt this week from China Southern sources. Read More »
News
Cathay Pacific pays year-end bonus and completes Cathay Dragon integration
Despite a bleak outlook for 2017, Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways this week said it would pay “eligible Hong Kong-based staff” a discretionary end-of-year bonus amounting to one month’s salary “in recognition of their dedication and contribution during the year, despite a very difficult financial environment and the major challenges that the airline continues to face”. Read More »
News
Korean Air’s unionized pilots announce 12-day Christmas walkout
On Monday, the unionized pilots of South Korean flag carrier, Korean Air (KAL), announced a 12-day strike from December 20 to 31 after union representatives and airline management failed to reach consensus on a long-standing wages dispute. Read More »
News
HNA Group launches route attack on UK
Haikou-headquartered HNA Group this week confirmed five new nonstop routes from China to the UK in 2017. Read More »
News
Etihad confirms European leisure carrier
The Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) board has approved plans to create a European leisure airline with Germany’s travel empire, TUI AG. Read More »
News
Dublin-based Ansett Worldwide Aviation Services (AWAS) has been put up for sale, Reuters reported this week, citing sources close to the deal. The sale could fetch up to $7 billion. Read More »
People
Lufthansa appoints new Greater China senior sales director
Veli Polat, 48, has been appointed Lufthansa Group senior sales director for Greater China, responsible for sales and marketing of group carriers Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and Swiss International Air Lines. Read More »
Short Takes
Airlines: Aircalin has selected Rolls-Royce’s Trent 7000 and TotalCare for its two on-order A330neos. All Nippon Airways (ANA) plans to debut its A320neo on the Narita-Sendai route from February 10. Read More »
