Best On The Web | December 2018
Our first round-up of Asia-Pacific regional aviation news this month includes interesting stories on Indonesia’s Wings Air, Air New Zealand, Russia’s Aeroflot and Yakutia, and the Pakistan Navy. 1. Indonesia’s Wings Air Receives Four ATR 72-600s Source: Aviation Week Lion…
PNG Air Performing Heavy Maintenance In-House
PNG Air is now performing heavy maintenance on ATR and Bombadier Dash 8 aircraft. PNG Air’s acting CEO, Paul Abbot, tells Smart Aviation APAC the decision to perform C-checks is only partly cost-related. It also maximizes the engineers’ time and…
Philippines’ IAI Plans To Buy More Dornier 228s
Philippine passenger charter operator Island Aviation Inc (IAI) plans to buy a Dornier 228 to replace one of its older aircraft. The airline operates three Dornier 228-202K aircraft, but plans to buy a pre-owned Dornier 228-212 to replace one of…
China to Have 450 Airports by 2035
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) says it aims to have 450 airports by 2035, adding over 200 new airports in order to keep up with airline demand and improve regional connectivity. CAAC’s director of development and planning, Dong…
Singapore-Malaysia Dispute Has Impacted A Quarter Of Firefly’s Business
A regulatory dispute between Singapore and Malaysia, over airspace and air routes in and of Singapore’s Seletar Airport, has put a stop to a quarter of the operations of Malaysia Airlines’ Firefly. Firefly was planning to relocate from Singapore’s Changi…
Aircraft Lessor Falko Enters China’s Difficult Regional Market
Regional aircraft lessor Falko has established a new leasing business in China in an effort to capture lease deals in that market. There are very few regional aircraft operating in China but Falko’s senior vice president of portfolio development, Will…
QantasLink Announces Bendigo’s First Regular Commercial Service in 30 Years
QantasLink will be launching a new route from Sydney to Bendigo, marking the first regular commercial service to the historic Victoria city in over 30 years. The airline says it will operate a six-times-weekly Bombardier Q300 service starting 31 March…
AirAsia Still Hoping to Establish Airline in Vietnam
AirAsia has signed a memorandum of cooperation reaffirming its interest in entering the Vietnamese low-cost market via a joint venture with seaplane operator Thien Minh Group (TMG). The memorandum was signed in Hanoi during a ceremony witnessed by Vietnam’s deputy…
India’s Jet Airways Suspends Regional Flights in Bid to Slash Costs
Debt-saddled Indian carrier Jet Airways has suspended some services to northeast India in a bid to trim losses. The airlines says the northeast destinations being suspended include Silchar, Aizwal, Imphal and Jorhat. Jet says this will inevitably lead to job…
Malaysian Government Says It Wants to Take Back South Johor Airspace Delegated to Singapore
Malaysia’s government, in protest of Seletar Airport’s intention to operate a new instrument landing system (ILS), says it wants to take back airspace over south Johor that has been delegated to Singapore. Singapore unilaterally decided on new commercial flight paths…
Garuda Launches New Singapore-Belitung Service
Garuda Indonesia has launched a new service between Singapore and Belitung Island, off the southeastern coast of Sumatra. The airline says the service is part of its commitment to improving tourism links to potential tourist destinations other than just Bali….
Hawker Pacific Expands Cairns MRO Facility
Hawker Pacific has completed an expansion of its Cairns hangar, opening up new maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) opportunities for aircraft from Australia and Southeast Asia. Jason Burzacott, Hawker Pacific’s vice president of Australian service centres, tells Smart Aviation APAC…
