Aerospace Diary

AIN AIR TRANSPORT PERSPECTIVE  »  NOVEMBER 18, 2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS AAPA director general Andrew Herdman. November 18, 2013, 9:40 AM Lack of infrastructure and regulatory cohesion challenge the growth of the Asia-Pacific region’s airlines, said Andrew Herdman, president and director general of the 15-airline Association of Asia Pacific Airlines ( AAPA ). Herdman and other industry officials warned of rising air traffic congestion at  AAPA ’s 57th Assembly of Presidents, held November 14 and 15 in Hong Kong. The Association of South East Asian countries (Asean) will begin implementing an Open Skies liberalization policy in 2015. Already, with seven of the world’s top 10 busiest routes located in Asia, the region sorely misses a single regulatory body like the  U.S.  Federal Aviation Administration to control its congested airspace. Every nation has its own set of regulations related to airspace management...

AIN AIR TRANSPORT PERSPECTIVE  »  NOVEMBER 18, 2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS Lion Air faces increasing competition from new low-fare startups in the Asia-Pacific region. (Photo: Boeing) November 18, 2013, 9:45 AM Economic growth, aviation deregulation, a growing middle class and aggressive tourism marketing continue to drive business in the regional markets of Asia-Pacific, where well entrenched budget carriers such as Malaysia’s AirAsia and Indonesia’s Lion Air face increasing competition from new low-cost startups. In neighboring India, three of every four airline seats now belong to budget carriers. According to Sydney-based consultancy Center for Asia Pacific Aviation ( CAPA ), Southeast Asia’s international market has seen a 20-percent capacity increase in the last 18 months, from 4.7 million weekly seats in April last year to 5.6 million weekly seats last month. The fastest growing markets, Thailand and Malaysia, added 23...