Orient Aviation’s Week in the Asia-Pacific
By Dominic Lalk
It’s reporting season in Japan. The country’s largest international carrier, All Nippon Airways (ANA), has had a stellar 2016. The Star Alliance airline’s net profit grew 26% in 2016, to US$890 million. It was a different story at competitor Japan Airlines (JAL). It posted a very solid US$1.46 billion 2016 net profit, but this was 6% lower than the previous year.
In China, the C919 was scheduled to perform its long-delayed maiden flight at press time while Mainland carriers continued their route onslaught. HNA Group’s Beijing Capital Airlines acquired slots at London’s Heathrow for a route to Qingdao and Air China is resuming service to Zurich. Independent Sichuan Airlines has added Auckland to its network following the arrival of a new A330 at its Chengdu base.
In the Gulf, Qatar Airways has announced another 12 destinations for 2018 as Emirates Airline scales back its U.S. operations. Qantas Airways said it would discontinue its Melbourne-Dubai-London route in favour of nonstop Perth-London flights next year.
All Nippon Airways profit grows 26%, Japan Airlines slips 6% Read More »
News
Qatar Airways to add 12 destinations in 2018, launches Inmarsat connectivity
Qatar Airways will launch 12 destinations in 2018, Qatar Airways Group CEO, Akbar Al Baker, announced at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai. Read More »
News
Etihad insists airberlin strategy is “the right one”
"We are seeing the first structural changes that are necessary to create a sustainable future for airberlin," Etihad Airways Group CEO, James Hogan, said in a statement, insisting Etihad’s partner model was the right strategy. Read More »
News
Qantas to axe Melbourne-Dubai-London
Australia’s Qantas Airways has said it would axe its daily Melbourne-Dubai-London A380 flights when it launches nonstop Perth-London B787-9 services on March 24, 2018. Read More »
News
China’s rising giant, the HNA Group, has at last succeeded in acquiring slots at London’s Heathrow Airport. HNA’s Beijing Capital Airlines will launch a thrice-weekly Heathrow-Qingdao A330 flight “this summer”, the carrier said. Read More »
News
Sichuan Airlines adds Auckland, Air China announces Astana and Zurich
Sichuan Airlines has confirmed the launch of thrice-weekly A330 flights from its Chengdu base to Auckland starting from June, becoming the latest Mainland carrier to add service to New Zealand. Read More »
News
At press time, China’s first-ever homebuilt twin-aisle jetliner, the C919 was scheduled to perform its maiden flight. The test aircraft was planned to take off from Shanghai Pudong International Airport for approximately three hours of flight testing. Read More »
News
Oman Air considers A350, B787; “no interest” in A330neo
State-controlled Oman Air, is in the process of evaluating a new wide body order, according to airline CEO, Paul Gregorowitsch. Read More »
News
Hawaiian unveils new livery, expresses frustration over local airport conditions
Hawaiian Airlines has unveiled a new livery to be rolled out across its fleet of more than 50 aircraft by 2020. Read More »
News
Mega Maldives terminates operations
Mega Maldives Airlines terminated operations on May 2, but insisted that it will relaunch services when it has undergone a thorough restructuring and recapitalization drive. Read More »
News
MAB close to launching A380 pilgrimage unit
Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) is close to launching an A380 pilgrimage subsidiary, but still needed to iron out reconfiguration costs with Airbus, airline CEO, Peter Bellew, told Reuters. Read More »
Short Takes
Airlines: Cathay Pacific Cargo will wet lease two B747-8Fs from Atlas Air Worldwide to expand its network. Cebgo, the Cebu Pacific Air subsidiary, plans to shift its operational base from heavily-congested Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Mactan–Cebu International Airport in 2018. Read More »
