Orient Aviation’s Week in the Asia-Pacific
By Dominic Lalk
Welcome back to Orient Aviation’s Week in the Asia-Pacific.
The new year kicked off with the news that Thai AirAsia CEO, Tassapon Biljeveld, bought back 36.3% of Asia Aviation, the airline’s holding vehicle, just 18 months after he had sold the stake to Thailand’s King Power Group, the duty free monopolist.
Also on the AirAsia front, the budget carrier conglomerate has secured a business licence in China ahead of its planned launch of AirAsia China, its first Mainland subsidiary.
In Hanoi, VietJet Air converted an order for 42 A320neo to the larger A321neo to meet growing passenger demand. Meanwhile, both AerCap and CALC placed fresh order for 50 A320neo each.
In South Korea, the local regulator denied the AOC applications of Aero K (formerly known as KAIR Airlines) and Fly YangYang, citing an overheated LCC segment and worsening relations with its main inbound tourism market, Mainland China.
Tassapon buys back Asia Aviation stake; AirAsia China secures business licence Read More »
News
VietJet converts 42 A320neo to larger A321neo
Hanoi-headquartered VietJet Air has converted an order for 42 A320neo to the larger A321neo. The order change was revealed as the low-cost carrier (LCC) took delivery its first of 31 previously ordered A321neo. Read More »
News
AerCap and CALC add to A320neo backlog
Dublin-based AerCap and Hong Kong-headquartered China Aircraft Leasing Group (CALC) have upped their A320neo commitments, with both lessors placing fresh orders for 50 A320neo each. Read More »
News
Aero K and Fly YangYang AOCs rejected
South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT) has rejected the applications of Aero K and Fly YangYang for air operator certificates (AOCs), citing an oversaturated low-cost carrier (LCC) segment and heightened market entry barriers. Read More »
News
Lucky Air takes delivery of second A330-300
HNA Group’s long-haul low-cost carrier, Lucky Air, has taken delivery of its second widebody, another A330-300. Read More »
News
First A350-1000 delivery delayed
Delivery of the first A350-1000, bound for Qatar Airways, has been postponed from late December to January, Airbus has confirmed without disclosing the reason for the delay or setting a specific new delivery date. Read More »
News
HK Express passenger numbers up 30% in 2017
Hong Kong low-cost carrier (LCC), HK Express, has recorded passenger growth of 30% in 2017. This year, it expects a more modest increase of 14%, to 4.35 million passengers, amid growing competition and sanctions. Read More »
News
Ethiopian Airlines to launch Chongqing route?
Ethiopian Airlines, a Star Alliance member, could be launching flights from its Addis Ababa hub to Chongqing, a municipality in South-Western China with a population of more than 30 million, Xinhua has reported. Read More »
Short Takes
Airlines: Asiana Airlines took delivery of its latest A350-900 on December 27. Malaysia Airlines has taken delivery of its second A350-900. Read More »
