When AirAsia co-founder and group chief executive, Tony Fernandes, tweeted in September he planned to step down from his positions at the group’s many business units, with the exception of AirAsia itself and long-haul budget arm, AirAsia X, it was assumed he was on the verge of retirement, particularly as the news was revealed less than a month after details of a major leadership reorganization at the group were unveiled. Read More »

In early December, the AirAsia Group and Universal Music Group (UMG) launched RedRecords, an announcement the airline group’s CEO, Tony Fernandes, said “was incredibly important” to him. Read More »

Change at the top of the region’s airlines is a given and 2019 was no exception. Read More »

Asia’s airline industry took some unexpected turns in 2019 and did so without much influence from governments or in reaction to external shocks. Read More »

The return to service of the 737 MAX may provide accelerated capacity growth in the region but also resulting yield declines at Chinese and Indian airlines who have MAXs grounded, ordered or both. Read More »

Aviation MRO is experiencing a period of rapid technological disruption that is transforming the industry from a labour intensive structure to a complex manufacturing space centred around astonishingly rapid advances in aerospace technology. Read More »

Despite trade wars, fragile global economic conditions and political unrest in several cities across the globe, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has forecast airlines worldwide will turn in a collective net profit of US$29.3 billion in 2020, up from $25.9 billion in 2019. Read More »

Qantas announced mid-month an Airbus aircraft was the preferred type for the airline group’s ultra-long-haul non-stop Project Sunrise flights. Read More »

Times may be tough for many of the region’s airlines, but the last minute cancellation of their annual talkfest, scheduled this year in politically unruly Hong Kong, did not prevent executives from getting together to debate the industry’s challenges. Read More »

It has been a long time coming but from January 1, new powers will equip law enforcement officers with legal muscle to prosecute unruly passengers. Read More »

Emirates Airline president, Sir Tim Clark, has been a recent critic of airframe and engine manufacturers who have not delivered as promised on their products. Read More »

Airbus dominated the order book at the Dubai Airshow last month but the Gulf’s leading air show also provided a ray of hope for Boeing with orders for MAX jets from Turkey’s SunExpress and also Air Astana. Read More »

Cathay Pacific Airways has revised downwards its planned capacity increase for 2020 as passenger numbers declined for the fourth month in November. Read More »

The Orient Aviation Media Group has named Tony Fernandes, the CEO of the AirAsia Group, as its 2019 Person of the Year and a recipient of an Orient Aviation Lifetime Achievement award. Read More »

Perth Airport in Western Australia, which is now processing 15 million travelers a year, has committed to an extensive upgrade of its passenger handling systems provided by Amadeus and a subsidiary of the technology solutions group, ICM Airport Technics. Read More »

Global multi-technology aerospace supplier, GKN Aerospace, has opened its US$10 million Electrical Wiring Interconnection Systems (EWIS) plant in Pune in the Indian province of Maharashtra, a greenfield facility that will create jobs for 800 industry technicians and engineers by 2025. Read More »

SITA 2019 China IT Insights reports China’s airlines and airports are fast adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation to offer personalized self-service experiences to airline passengers. Read More »

HAECO Group member and Cathay Pacific Airways subsidiary, HAECO ITM, has acquired a Cathay Dragon A330-300 for disassembly and will partner with GA Telesis Component Solutions Group to sell and distribute the aircraft’s parts after re-certification. Read More »

Manufacturer of aircraft crew seating and airplane galley parts, Ipeco, has followed the establishment of a distribution and repair centre in Singapore and a distribution complex in Hong Kong with the opening of a repair centre in Beijing. Read More »

The International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) somewhat unexpected prediction, announced at press time, that the world’s airlines will collectively make more money in 2020 than in 2019 was certainly welcome. Read More »