A trusted source of Asia-Pacific commercial aviation news and analysis


AUGUST 2018

Week 33

Orient Aviation’s Week in the Asia-Pacific

By Dominic Lalk

This week in Asia-Pacific commercial aviation, South Korean carriers Asiana Airlines and Korean Air said high fuel costs were to blame for their hefty second quarter losses, despite record sales. In Shanghai, China Eastern Airlines said it would seek closer synergies with Australia’s Qantas Airways regarding digital transformation, capacity deployment, reciprocal frequent flyer benefits and destination marketing. Also in China, cash-strapped HNA Group has sold its 51% stake in Radisson Hospitality.

Further South, in Bangkok, Thai Airways International (THAI) curbed its losses in the second quarter, but the government is dismayed by the airline’s lacklustre performance and has ordered closer collaboration between THAI and low-cost carriers Thai Smile and Nok Air. In the interim, in Hong Kong, Air Belgium CEO, Niky Terzakis, alleged the airline start-up has achieved 75-80% load factors in August and was preparing for route launches to Zhengzhou, Wuhan and Taiyuan.

In India, Air India pilots called the grounding of approximately a quarter of the airline’s fleet due to a lack of spare parts “criminal at the very least”. The situation at rival Jet Airways is not much better, if media reports suggesting the carrier was close to insolvency are to be believed.

China Eastern deepens ties with Qantas Read More »

 

News

Asiana and Korean Air report second quarter losses despite record sales

South Korean flag carrier, Korean Air, this week posted a KRW304.7 billion (US$270 million) net loss for the three months ended June 30, a worse result than the KRW200.3 billion loss the airline reported in the corresponding year-ago quarter. Read More »


 

News

Jet Airways is seeking US$400 million in fresh capital

There is never a shortage of news and speculation concerning India’s Jet Airways. Read More »


 

News

CDB Leasing converts B787 to B737 MAX order

China Development Bank Financial Leasing Co. (CDB Leasing) has had a strategy change. Read More »


 

News

THAI narrows second quarter loss

Thai Airways International (THAI) continues to struggle, although somewhat less. Read More »


 

News

A quarter of Air India’s fleet grounded due to lack of spares

It’s difficult to find some good news about Air India. Read More »


 

News

HNA Group sells Radisson stake to JinJiang

China’s cash-strapped HNA Group continues its asset selloff. Read More »


 

People

Panasonic Avionics appoints new chief compliance officer

Panasonic Avionics has appointed Catherine L. Razzano as Chief Compliance Officer. Read More »


 

Short Takes

Routes: AirAsia will add a four-weekly Kuala Lumpur-Phu Quoc A320 route starting November 2. Read More »