A trusted source of Asia-Pacific commercial aviation news and analysis


OCTOBER 2017

Orient Aviation October 2017

THAILAND’S SMARTEST AIRLINE
Thai AirAsia CEO Tassapon Biljeveld rolls over opponents in a cutthroat LCC market

• Airbus strengthens China ties with A330 Tianjin centre

• Asia leads world in LCC connectivity

• Etihad names new group CEO to resurrect its airline business

• INDUSTRY INSIGHT SPECIAL REPORT: Digital era delivers faster MRO turnarounds

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Cover Story

Thailand's smartest airline

Thai AirAsia’s Tassapon Biljeveld is a man with a mission. The 50-year-old founding CEO of the only profitable carrier in Thailand this year told Orient Aviation he will stay around until he “kills some of the enemy airlines”. Read More »


 

Main Story

Assault on cyber vandalism

Three years ago, published research by a well-regarded commercial aviation consultancy revealed that more than 40% of the world’s airlines did not have any protection from cyber-attacks. Read More »


 

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Industry Insight Special Report

Digtal era demands smarter, faster MRO

U-Tapao airport, 140 kilometres southeast of Bangkok, was not born in the digital age. Read More »


 

Industry Insight Special Report

Lion Air MRO undercuts rivals

When it comes to pitching for business, PT Batam Aero Technic (BAT), the MRO subsidiary of Indonesia’s Lion Air Group, believes it is on a winner. Read More »


 

Industry Insight Special Report

Ameco’s ambitious global goals

Think Big. That’s the strategy of Ameco Beijing as sets out to “fast develop its product competitiveness and comprehensive maintenance services in line with its strategy of being the leading MRO in global aviation”, a recent company statement announced. Read More »


 

Executive Interview

Right place, right time

It all started in 2002 after Fernandes had bought loss-making AirAsia for one Malyasian ringgit (US$0.23) with the intention of bringing low-cost flying to the Asia-Pacific in 2001. Read More »


 

News Backgrounder

Thai airlines struggle despite safety upgrade

Thailand’s airlines are battered and bruised by regulatory missteps, shifting passenger tastes and weak leadership. And there is no doubt there will be more pain ahead. Read More »


 

News Backgrounder

Qantas bows to passenger demand for Singapore stopover

When Qantas Airways announced last month that its daily A380 service from Sydney to London via Dubai was to be returned to its former Singapore stopover, and that even more capacity was to be added from Melbourne on the service, the response Singapore Airlines (SIA) was hardly surprising. Read More »


 

News

Airbus strengthens China ties with A330 Tianjin centre

When it comes to co-operation with China, Airbus chief operating officer and president commercial aircraft, Fabrice Brégier, has absolute clarity about Airbus’ strategic goals. Read More »


 

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Addendum

Asia leads world in budget carrier connectivity

Four out of five of the world’s top international low-cost megahubs are in Asia, the annual OAG Megahubs International Index reported last month. Read More »


 

Addendum

Former Abu Dhabi boss to chart Etihad’s new course

All industry eyes will soon be on Tony Douglas, 55, a veteran Middle East hand who has been chosen to claw the Etihad Aviation Group back from the abyss of its failed global alliance strategy. Read More »


 

Addendum

New CEO named at Beijing’s Ameco

China’s Ameco has appointed a new CEO from within its head office ranks. Former executive vice president and chief strategy officer of the Sino-German joint venture, Ni Jiang, took over as CEO last month. Read More »


 

Addendum

WiFi a win-win for Asia-Pacific airlines

A London School of Economics study, Sky High Economics, Quantifying the Commercial Opportunities of Passenger Connectivity for the Global Airline Industry, has forecast that the inflight broadband market will be a US$130 billion global business by 2035 and that the Asia-Pacific will be the biggest market of all for the sector. Read More »


 

Industry Addendum

Jin Air agrees passenger service agreement with IBS

South Korea’s Jin Air has signed an agreement with aviation IT provider, IBS, to develop a next generation passenger service system, the IFly Res passenger services system. Read More »


 

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Industry Addendum

Mobil Jet Oil 387 approved for Pratt & Whitney engines

Global engine maker Pratt & Whitney has approved the use of Mobil Jet Oil 387, a synthetic High Performance Capability turbine engine oil for use on its PurePower PW1100G-JM and PW1400G-JM turbofan engines. Read More »


 

Industry Addendum

ATR and Phitek sign deal for IFE streaming technology

ATR and New Zealand aircraft technology supplier, Phitek, have signed a deal that will offer ATR operators the option of installing Phitek’s standalone wireless IFE system on their airplanes. Read More »


 

Industry Addendum

AFI KLM E&M consolidate alliance with Indonesia’s GMF AeroAsia

AFI KLM E&M and Garuda Maintenance Facility AeroAsia have signed a Letter of Understanding to upgrade their longstanding relationship to a strategic alliance that will develop multi segment products that will deliver high valued added maintenance solutions to the market. Read More »


 

Industry Addendum

Siemens and Singapore to drive digital transformation

Global technology powerhouse, Siemens, and the Association of Aerospace Industries (Singapore), or AAIS, recently signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to advance the digital transformation of the Lion state’s aerospace industry. Read More »


 

Industry Addendum

Budget Jeju Air adopts SITAONAIR AIRCOM FlightTracker

Jeju Air has become South Korea’s first budget airline to adopt SITAONAIR AIRCOM FlightTracker, a system that will make the carrier’s 29 B737s compliant with the new International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) flight tracking regulations  that will come into effect next year. Read More »


 

Industry Addendum: People

New dnata boss appointed in Singapore

Global air services provider, dnata, has moved up its Singapore’s chief commercial officer, Nick Moore, to CEO of operations in the Lion City. Read More »


 

Industry Addendum: Communications

Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband Safety and FLYHT conduct trials

Global provider of mobile satellite communications, Inmarsat, will demonstrate its advanced SwiftBroadband Safety (SB-S) solution in a flight trial with Canada’s FLYHT later this year. Read More »


 

Industry Addendum: Briefly...

Hong Kong Airport Authority (HKAA) is planning to offer retail bonds of up to US$648 million as part of the airport operator’s plans to raise $18.33 billion to fund the building of its third runway. No taxpayer money is involved in the project, which commenced last month. Read More »


 

Comment

Warn airlines about missile threats

The war of words between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un presents a very serious threat to airlines and their passengers and crew. Read More »