Airline News - Asia / Pacific

Mar 24, 2008

Adam Air

Adam Air, the Indonesian budget carrier, which has suffered a series of accidents and defaulted on debt payments, has had its flights grounded over safety concerns, a Transport Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday. Indonesia's Director General of Air Transport had found evidence of potential danger of safety aviation at the airline and operations would be halted from midnight on Tuesday, ministry spokesman Bambang Erfan said. Adam Air, which like all other Indonesian airlines has been banned by the European Union because of safety concerns, said on Monday that a leasing firm had seized more than half its fleet of 22 planes after the airline defaulted on payments. Mar 18, 2008

China Airlines

Taiwan-based China Airlines has announced that economy passengers on transpacific flights to the US with tickets issued after 15 April are allowed a reduced weight limit of 23kg (51 lbs) on their two free checked in bags - previously the limit was 32kg. The charge for bags that exceed the weight limit will be NT$800 ($26) per bag. Alternatively, Dynasty Flyer members can pay for the excess weight with 4,000 mileage points. For business and first class passengers to North America, the weight limit for the two pieces of free luggage remains at 32kg. Paragon members are entitled to two additional pieces of baggage free of charge, and Emerald and Gold members are entitled to one free additional bag. The allowance for Dynasty Flyer members depends on their seat class, and whether or not they have mileage-exchanged upgrade seats or free tickets. China Airlines says it made the changes because it is following the International Air Transport Association[sup.1]s environment protection measures to reduce fuel waste because of global warming. It also admits the increasing price of fuel is an important factor. In addition, China Air has said most US and Canadian airlines revised their weight limits for checked luggage from 32kg to 23kg two years ago. Mar 18, 2008

Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines said the strike action planned for yesterday by some company unions was cancelled and flights operated normally. Mar 20, 2008

Okay Airways

Okay Airways shifts focus to regional market. After suffering from continuous setbacks on its trunk routes, Tianjin-based Okay Airways will shift its focus to the regional market when it takes delivery of its first MA60 turboprop this month, according to Chairman Liu Jieyin. Its second MA60 is expected to be introduced in April. Last summer,

Okay signed an aircraft lease agreement with AVIC I for 10 MA60s. It currently operates five Boeing 737s to 22 domestic destinations. Mar 17, 2008

Okay Airways

Okay Airways will begin by trying to capture regional fliers in northeastern and northern China before expanding its catchment area to the northwest and central part of the country. Liu said it has conducted market research for airports in Harbin, Shenyang, Tianjin and Shijiazhuang. The Chinese regional market remains in its "breeding phase," as the number of regional aircraft operated by Chinese airlines is just 77 and three main regional carriers--China Express Air, Grand Xinhua Express and Kunpeng Airlines--operate at a loss. Mar 17, 2008

Qantas Airways

Qantas Airways announced it will increase its US service to a record 47 weekly flights beginning April 5. It will add a sixth and seventh weekly Brisbane-Los Angeles, a 17th-weekly Sydney-LAX and a fourth-weekly SYD-Honolulu. Mar 17, 2008

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines said on Thursday that it was raising fuel surcharges by up to 15 percent for flight tickets issued from March 26, due to the continued escalation in the price of jet fuel. Mar 21, 2008

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines launched its Singapore-London Heathrow A380 service yesterday. Flight SQ308 with 449 passengers took off from Changi Airport just after 9 a.m. local time. The return flight, SQ319, is scheduled to arrive back in Singapore this afternoon. Mar 19, 2008

Singapore Airlines

Airbus A380's first commercial flight to Europe started on March 18 when the big fat Singapore Airlines jet left Singapore for London. The Singapore Airlines flight, carrying 449 passengers, lifted off the tarmac at 9.20 a.m. from Changi Airport, bound for London Heathrow Airport. Passengers paid between SGD$2,000 (USD$1,447) and SGD$20,000 to be the first on the superjumbo's new daily service, which will take off on its return flight on the same day. Among the passengers on Tuesday's flight were 17 customers who had been on the inaugural flight to Sydney, wearing custom-made polo shirts with "A380" emblazoned across the back. Singapore Airlines now has three superjumbos in service, with a further 16 on order and options for six more, and is planning to put the aircraft on daily flights to Tokyo from May 20. Mar 18, 2008

ZZ

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