Asia’s narrowbody LCC operators are in a better position to navigate the COVID-19 crisis than those focusing on widebodies. Domestic and short-haul international markets will generally recover faster than long-haul, and narrowbodies are a good fit for the lower-demand environment that will continue for some time.

Asian LCCs such as Cebu Pacific, Jin Air, Lion Air and Jetstar all operate widebodies, but the majority of their fleets are still narrowbody aircraft. This means they have significant short-haul networks to fall back on if they have to suspend long-haul routes or ground the widebodies.

Others such as AAX and NokScoot do not have that luxury. While they are both closely linked to short-haul LCCs, they are—or were—still separate entities with all-widebody fleets.

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