Orient Aviation’s Week in the Asia-Pacific
By Dominic Lalk
Hong Kong Airlines on Thursday took delivery in Toulouse of the first of 21 on-order A350-900s, marking a new era in long haul route expansion for the airline. Also this week, Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways announced A350 routes to Brussels, Copenhagen and Dublin that will start flying in 2018.
It also was reporting season in China this week with China Eastern Airlines leading the pack with its announcement of an interim US$660 million net profit. Air China came in second with net earnings of US$594 million, followed by China Southern Airlines at US$420 million. Each of the ‘Big Three’ recorded strong domestic yields but slippage on international flights.
Also in China, Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport has opened a third runway and a third terminal, increasing its capacity to 60 million passengers a year. Further south, Shenzhen’s Donghai Airlines could become the first Mainland airline to offer nonstop China-Darwin services.
In Australia, Qantas Airways said it will cease flying to London via Dubai from March and opt instead for Australia-Singapore-London. Earlier in the week Joyce announced changes to the Qantas Group executive leadership team that included Gareth Evans’ shift from Qantas International to CEO of the Jetstar Group and Jayne Hrdlicka’s move to CEO of Qantas Loyalty and Digital Ventures from head of Qantas’ stable of budget airlines.
Hong Kong Airlines enters new era with first A350 delivery Read More »
News
Profits down at ‘Big Three’ Mainland carriers as costs soar and yields slip
China’s ‘Big Three’ state-controlled carriers – Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines – are under pressure to cut costs and improve yields, but unlike Cathay Pacific Airways and Singapore Airlines, they have made money this year. Read More »
News
Cathay Pacific announces three long-haul destinations to Europe
Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways on Thursday announced new A350 routes to Brussels, Copenhagen and Dublin starting from 2018. Read More »
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Qantas restores Kangaroo route to London through Singapore and axes Dubai
From March 25 next year, Qantas Airways will cease operating from Sydney to London via Dubai and instead will restore the Kangaroo route via Singapore to London. Read More »
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Asian lessors CALC and BOC Aviation report first-half figures
Hong Kong’s China Aircraft Leasing Company (CALC) and Singapore’s BOC Aviation Ltd have reported their first-half results. Read More »
News
Another new airline for Cambodia
No other aviation market in the Asia-Pacific is as dynamic at the moment as Indochina. Read More »
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Southern China’s Donghai Airlines to fly to Darwin?
In July, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) announced that Shenzhen-based Donghai Airlines had applied for traffic rights between Shenzhen and Darwin. Read More »
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Chongqing Airport opens third runway and terminal
Chongqing’s Jiangbei International Airport has entered the ‘airport big league’ after opening a third runway (3,600 metres) and terminal. Read More »
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Finnair to launch Nanjing route
Finnair is continuing its expansion into China’s secondary cities. Read More »
People
Al Baker to chair IATA in 2018
Outspoken Qatar Airways CEO, Akbar Al Baker, will become chairman of the board of governors of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) after next year’s annual general meeting (AGM) in Sydney. Read More »
Short Takes
Routes: AirAsia will add a five-weekly Johor Bahru-Kolkata A320 route on November 28. Air China will launch a thrice-weekly Hangzhou-Phuket A320 flight on December 21, and it will increase frequency on the Beijing-Islamabad-Karachi A330-200 route from four-weekly to daily starting October 29. Read More »
