As air service development professionals were debating the impact of ASEAN open skies during Routes Asia and the general potential hailing from the rising middle class in Indonesia, Philippines, and Thailand and a thriving economy with an overall community of over 630 million people, Tony Fernandes, founder and head of the AirAsia Group was firmly placing his support behind the regional economic integration.
New Zealand's Auckland Airport was announced as the overall winner of the Routes Asia edition of the Routes 2016 Marketing Awards which were formally announced last night during the Networking Evening event which took place at The Blue Leaf Filipinas in Manila, Philippines.
Now a fully owned subsidiary of Virgin Australia, Tigerair Australia has recently undergone a major transformation – even ‘changing its stripes’ – in a bid to enhance its customer service and market fit.
Okinawa Prefecture is located roughly halfway between Japan and East Asia with flight times between the main islands of Japan and various Asian cities being within four hours. Okinawa, surrounded by crystal clear sea and beautiful natural landscapes, is Japan’s subtropical landscape it is at the crossroads of Asian nations and has developed its own unique culture, integrating aspects of Chinese, Japanese and Southeast Asian cultures with its own indigenous spirit.
Mactan-Cebu International Airport is setting its sights on the Chinese, Australian and European markets as it seeks to consolidate its reputation as an international airport and is using this year’s Routes Asia forum in Manila, Philippines to showcase its potential.
Senior representatives from Guam’s Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport and Guam Visitors Bureau joined forces with Cebu Pacific Air to celebrate the low-cost carrier’s new link between Manila and the US island territory in Micronesia, in the Western Pacific during Routes Asia. The new route, Cebu Pacific’s first to the United States, will commence on March 15, 2016 and will be flown four times weekly using an Airbus A320.
The growth in passenger numbers is expected to continue in 2016, as eleven new scheduled services have already been announced for this year, including new direct transatlantic services to Hartford Connecticut, Los Angeles, Newark and Vancouver. There are also new long-haul charter services to Cancun in Mexico and Montego Bay in Jamaica.
Routes Asia kicked-off in style yesterday with an engaging and thought-provoking Strategy Summit that debated some of the key topics impacting the aviation business across the region.
The resumption of the non-stop seasonal service between Auckland and Osaka by Air New Zealand between November 2016 and March 2017 will contribute an estimated $24 million to the New Zealand economy, during the operation, according to Auckland Airport.
Routes Asia 2016 host, the Philippine Department of Tourism, promotes the country using its “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” campaign to highlight the main destinations, including Boracay, Davao, Manila, Cebu, Bohol, Albay, Palawan, Banaue, Vigan, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, and Siargao.
The return of the Hong Kong – Phnom Penh operation will place Hong Kong Airlines in competition with Dragonair, which will soon be renamed Cathay Dragon to emphasise its relationship with Hong Kong’s largest air carrier, Cathay Pacific. It also offers flights between Hong Kong and Siem Reap in Cambodia, a market that HK Express introduced in September 2015.
The relocation of domestic operations to T2 is part of Jet Airways' strategic commitment to develop Indian airports as hubs, providing greater connectivity on its domestic and international networks. Jet Airways operates over 135 daily flights out of Mumbai to destinations in India and around the world.
The airline has already announced numerous new routes for 2016 and additional capacity in some of its existing markets, but is attending Routes Asia in Manila, Philippines to seek alternative growth destinations. This will mainly cover the North and South East Asia markets, which it has earmarked as offering the best opportunities for sustainable development.
The introduction of the sub-brand will enable AZAL to compete with both full-service and the developing low-cost market in the country. Turkish Airlines’ affiliate Anadolu Jet already operates flights to the regions of Azerbaijan and from the end of this month Wizz Air will resume flights between Budapest and Baku.
Emirates already operates three daily A380 flights into Auckland but up until March 1, 2016 these all operated on a direct, one-stop basis via Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. In late January this year it revealed plans to introduce this fourth rotation, the first to operate non-stop between Dubai and Auckland, providing more efficient connectivity between New Zealand and markets across the Middle East, Africa and in to Europe.
The new service will provide 245,000 additional seats per year and is expected to generate an estimated 3,000 jobs in New South Wales and contribute more than AUD$240 million to the local economy. The new service will also provide 84 tonnes of cargo capacity per week in and out of the New South Wales (NSW) capital.
The surge in passengers has been driven by improving yields with seat load factor reaching a high of 86 per cent. This was particularly evident in the airline’s growing international network but was also buoyed by strong domestic sales.
Under the current agreement, US airlines have a total of four slot pairs (four arrivals and four departures) for service to and from Haneda, which are now restricted to use during nighttime hours. Under the proposed amendment, these four slot pairs would be transferred to daytime hours. In addition, a fifth daytime slot pair for scheduled service to and from Haneda would be added and US airlines would be able to continue operating one nighttime slot pair.
Philippine Airlines will configure its A350-900s with a premium three class layout and plans to operate the aircraft on non-stop flights from Manila to the US west coast and New York, as well as on services to new destinations in Europe. The aircraft will enable the carrier to operate non-stop service on the 8,000 nautical mile Manila – New York route all year round with a full passenger load.
The air service development team at Dublin Airport have identified a number of unserved markets in Asia that can sustain regular scheduled flights to the Republic of Ireland’s capital city and are attending Routes Asia in Manila, Philippines to fill these network gaps. It particularly sees a notable role for Asia’s Star Alliance members at Dublin Airport having grown the number of airline members using the airport from this summer.
The value of air service as an economic generator is particular obvious in island locations. Routesonline spoke to Matthew Findlay ahead of his recent move to Australia about his experiences in New Zealand, where geography means most international connections involve a long-haul flight.
The Asian carrier has configured the A350-900 in a 253-seat arrangement across three classes – 42 in Business, 24 in Premium Economy and 187 in Economy. It currently has orders for 67 A350-900s having placed an additional order for four aircraft last year. Seven of these will now be delivered with an Ultra-Long Range capability for flights of up to 19 hours.
