Orient Aviation’s Week in the Asia-Pacific
By Dominic Lalk
What a week it’s been in Asia-Pacific aviation! Monday kicked off with the news that Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways and Europe’s Lufthansa Group have signed a strategic partnership on routes to Australia, New Zealand and within Europe.
On Tuesday, American Airlines announced a US$200 million investment in China Southern Airlines for a 2.68% stake in Asia’s largest carrier.
This was followed on Thursday with an announcement from SkyTeam members Korean Air Lines and Delta Air Lines saying they had, at last, agreed on a transpacific joint venture.
In other updates, HNA Group has continued its shopping spree, Beijing Capital Airport is looking at a more-congested-than-ever April and Nok Air is tapping investors for a much-needed capital injection.
Cathay and Lufthansa sign strategic partnership Read More »
News
American Airlines takes 2.7% stake in China Southern
American Airlines on Monday confirmed it would pay US$200 million for a 2.7% stake in Guangzhou-based China Southern Airlines, becoming the second U.S. carrier to take a minority share in a Mainland Chinese airline, following Delta Air Lines’ 2015 investment in China Eastern Airlines. Read More »
News
IATA calls for U.S./UK electronics ban redress
International Air Transport Association (IATA) director-general and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac, on Tuesday called on both the U.S. and UK governments to “urgently” seek alternatives to the recently-imposed electronics ban on a significant number of flights departing the Middle East and North Africa. Read More »
News
AirAsia leasing unit sale imminent?
South Korean firm Korea Transportation Asset Management (KOTAM) has been named as the preferred bidder for a majority stake in AirAsia Group's leasing unit, Asia Aviation Capital (AAC), Reuters has reported. Read More »
News
Cebu Pacific 2016 net earnings grow by 122%
Manila-headquartered low-cost carrier (LCC) Cebu Pacific Air (CEB) had a successful 2016. The airline’s full-year net profit increased by 122% year-on-year to 9.8 billion pesos (US$195 million), largely on the back of robust demand and ancillary revenue growth. Read More »
News
HNA increases stake in Deutsche Bank
The HNA Group appears to be in a hurry to close as many deals as possible before Chinese regulators continue to further tighten capital outflows from the Mainland. Read More »
News
Korean Air and Delta agree on joint venture
‘Good things come to those who wait’ is what Korean Air Lines and Delta Air Lines executives might be thinking after signing a memorandum of understanding to form a trans-Pacific joint venture this week. Read More »
News
Beijing Capital Airport to cancel 20% of flights in April
Asia-Pacific corporates tired of long waits at Mainland airports are better off avoiding travel to Beijing in April. Read More »
News
Nok Air collects cash for much-needed capital injection
Nok Air’s troubles are worsening and the budget carrier requires an urgent capital injection. Read More »
People
Lufthansa Technik strengthens APAC leadership team
MRO specialist, Lufthansa Technik (LHT), has filled important leadership positions to support its continued expansion in the Asia-Pacific. Read More »
Short Takes
Routes: AirAsia will increase frequency on the Kuala Lumpur-Kaohsiung A320 route from thrice-weekly to daily beginning May 19. Air India will launch a thrice-weekly Delhi-Washington B777-200LR route on July 7. Read More »
