News From Asia 亚洲新闻

Richard Maslen May 19, 2011

HAINAN AIRLINES ADDS REGIONAL INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS

Chinese carrier Hainan Airlines is to offer new flights into Japan, Singapore and South Korea this summer, according to the latest schedule data from the company. A four times weekly link between Beijing and Busan will be introduced from June 29, a twice weekly service from the Chinese capital to Okinawa will follow from July 28 (this service is not currently available for booking), while a four times weekly Haikou – Singapore flight will be added from September 25. Air China, Asiana Airlines and Korean Air already serve the Beijing – Busan route and each offers a daily flight serving an estimated market of 273,000 O&D passengers, however, there is no current competition from the Chinese capital to Okinawa. Low-cost carriers Jetstar Asia and Tiger Airways both fly between Haikou and Singapore, with four and seven weekly flights, respectively, a route which has seen O&D passenger traffic increase to 115,000 in the past year, up 55.9 per cent on the previous 12 month period.

ALL NIPPON AIRWAYS AND EZNIS AIRWAYS EXPLORE CO-OPERATION

All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Eznis Airways have signed a Strategic Co-operation Agreement to explore bilateral partnerships in a broad range of areas such as management, operations, and charter flight services between Mongolia and Japan to aid the long-term development of air transportation between the two countries and beyond. The airlines are currently discussing further details of the partnership but the co-operation is expected to benefit customers of both countries by providing them with greater choice and flexibility. “I believe that the strategic partnership between our two companies will allow the aviation industry to play its role in the development of the Mongolia-Japan relationship,” said Keisuke Okada, Executive Vice-President, ANA. “The nature of our long-term partnership will also significantly allow ANA to maintain our competitive advantage in the Asian market.”

CHINA EASTERN SET TO EXPAND FROM YANTAI

China Eastern Airlines is looking to increase its international services from Yantai, a city in China’s northeastern Shandong province. Located on the southern coast of the Bohai Sea and the eastern coast of the Laizhou Bay, Yantai borders the cities of Qingdao and Weihai to the southwest and east respectively and is developing as a key business centre in the region. China Eastern currently offers more than 60 flights per week, including overseas connections to Incheon (nine flights per week) and Osaka Kansai (three flights per week). It recently introduced a second flight to South Korea with the addition of a twice weekly service to Busan from April 27, and is now exploring other destinations, according to sources close to the carrier.

SPICEJET INCREASES PRESENCE IN DOMESTIC INDIAN MARKET

Independent Indian carrier SpiceJet is to strengthen its position in the domestic market by boosting frequencies on two of its existing routes from June 1 and launching a new connection between Ahmedabad and Pune. The new link will be operated on a daily basis and will see SpiceJet introduce competition into a market currently only served by IndiGo Airlines. The airline currently offers a Jaipur – Ahmedabad flight and the new service will represent a continuation of this link. The aircraft will then continue on from Pune to Bangalore, doubling capacity between these two cities from a daily to twice daily schedule. Spicejet will also add a third daily rotation between Bangalore and Kolkata. This route is also served by Air India, IndiGo Airlines, Jet Airways and its division JetLite, which together offer more than 60 weekly flights. An estimated 598,000 O&D passengers travelled between the two cities in the past year, up 46.3 per cent on the previous 12 months, with SpiceJet holding an 18 per cent share of this traffic.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES ADDS CARGO LINKS

Singapore Airlines Cargo has inaugurated a new dedicated freight link to Osaka Kansai International via Hong Kong. The new service was launched on May 13 and will operate until the end of the Northern Summer schedules on October 29. “This service is in line with our policy of matching capacity with demand and we look forward to the support of our customers.” said Tan Tiow Kor, Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing, Singapore Airlines Cargo. The new flight will complement the existing bellyhold space available on Singapore Airlines’ daily passenger services between Singapore and Osaka Kansai, a region that is home to many manufacturing bases of LCD panels, semiconductors, solar battery panels and lithium-ion batteries.