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Northwest Airlines and Japan Airlines said they reached a long-term agreement to form a cargo alliance including codesharing and blocked space on flights between the US and Asia. Subject to [...]

Nine top Asian carriers formed a business-to-business and consumer travel "exchange" Web site. These airlines include Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Royal Brunei Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Air New […]

The global airline industry stayed in the black in 1999, but rapidly rising fuel prices and overcapacity, particularly in Europe and on transatlantic routes, caused profitability to fall, according to [...]

21.35% of world passengers 23.93% of world RPKs 33.06% of world FTKs Air China: Talk of merging flag carrier Air China and China Southern, widely discussed last fall, appears to [...]

The fifth ExporailAsia will take place in Hong Kong from May 3-5th at the Convention Centre. Hong Kong is, surprisingly, for its size, a major railway consumer in the region [...]

Perth-based ERG has become a world leader in smart-card technology. Now it has set its sights on Asia's public transport systems. GLOBAL SMART-CARD leader, ERG, is poised for explosive growth [...]

'Economic pointers in Asia suggest a turn for the better over the next 12 months ... You can expect Cathay Pacific to head into the new millennium with fresh vigour.' […]

An increasingly favourable economic outlook should result in greater opportunities for Australian transport businesses in Asia, Austrade's senior trade commissioners say. The commissioners from Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines […]

Rapid building is shaking up the cruise-ship construction market Throughout the modern era of cruising, ship construction has been dominated by shipyards in Finland, France, Germany and Italy. But with […]

Passengers 000Global rank North America 1American Eagle13,0401 2US Airways Express7,0002 3Comair6,1753 4Continental Express5,1965 5SkyWest Airlines4,4006 Europe 1Crossair5,4004 2Lufthansa CityLine4,3978 3KLM uk4,30010 4Eurowings2,92117 5KLM cityhopper2,20021 Asia-Pacific 1UNI Airways4,23011 2Formosa Airlines1,47031 3Bangkok [...]

Qantas Airways, the world's second-oldest airline, first flew to Asia more than 60 years ago with services to Singapore. The airline now schedules more than 140 flights a week to […]

Planes, trains, automobiles In this edition's Fact File, we examine the level of transport infrastructure in Asia-Pacific countries. AUSTRALIA Airports (1997 est): 419 Highways (1996 est): 913,000km Railways: 38,563km CHINA […]

The resuscitation of Asia's oldest carrier, Philippine Airlines (PAL), after a brief closure has drawn most of the industry's recent headlines -- but other carriers are by no means in […]

Asia's changing capacity picture [*] Delivered Sold/leased Aircraft into Asia out of Asia A300 3 6 A310 0 1 A320 19 9 A321 5 0 A330 6 0 A340 8 [...]

Sydney Ports Corporation is increasing efforts to attract cargo volumes through a range of trade development initiatives. Last month, the corporation's general manager of commercial business, Mr Don Ross, and […]

The financial problems in Asian economies are well documented, but a new report indicates shippers still see East Asia as the heart of their business East and South East Asia […]

Competitive Rankings for Selected Asian Airlines 1 = Lowest, 5 = Highest Regional Competitive Airports Route Economic Environment Structure Growth SINGAPORE AIRLINES 3.0 3.0 5.0 4.0 QANTAS AIRWAYS 3.0 3.0 […]

Ever since Malaysia-Singapore Airlines snubbed its nose at IATA and offered free drinks to economy passengers in the late 1960s, Asian airlines have been at the forefront of service innovation. [...]

Technical excellence, cost and turnaround time, cornerstones of engine maintenance/repair/overhaul, have gained critical importance as the airline industry searches for solutions to the massive downturn in traffic post-Sept. 11--the greatest [...]

Asian air carriers have been joining airline alliances and increasing their reliance on hubs, prompted by recession to replace local flights with service to the stronger US and European markets. The higher demand for long range flights from such hubs as Singapore and Hong Kong means Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific each must offer two London-bound 747 flights within 30 minutes of each other to arrive at Heathrow after its night curfew is ended. Airbus Industrie is hoping Asian airlines will offer strong demand for the 555-seat A3XX. The long flights and large aircraft make for congestion problems at Asian hubs.

This article examines the continuing financial plight of three Asian airlines. Relevant points include the lingering unprofitability of three national carriers: Indonesia's Garuda Indonesia, Papua New Guinea's Air Niugini, and Philippine Airlines.

If the economic crisis is passing, why are Asia's airlines dropping flights and raising rates? Is that a light at the end of the long, dark economic tunnel Asia has [...]

Shipping lines operating along the Asian-Europe trade region have been partly successful in adapting with the economic implications of the recent stock market crisis. Operators seem to enjoy the increasing rate of freight services, while traders take advantage of the stability of market conditions. Prospects for further growth seems bright as more companies are expected to participate in conference lines and international transactions.

The new Boeing 777 is being employed mostly on regional flights by Asia-Pacific airlines, though it has the capacity to fly on nonstop transpacific or European journeys. Other planes are considered better for intercontinental flights.

Shipping rates from Asia to the US are dropping as importers and shipping companies try to negotiate pacts for the new contract year. Stiff competition has led to growing pressure on carriers to cut rates in contracts already entered at higher rates. The movement of goods from the Pacific to the US supports the earnings performance of majority of the ranking container carriers in the world.

Analysts project that by 2010 the Asian regions will account for more than half of all international air travel, and at present the area accounts for about 34.5%. Transcontinental flights will increase and each airline will fight to establish market share in the region.

Narrow service differentials between conference and non-conference lines in the Asian lane have resulted in substantial reductions in export shipping rates. This prompted major carriers that move goods to Asia to reject rate-reduction requests from exporters of high-volume commodities, such as wastepaper. Carriers not bound by the Transpacific Westbound Rate Agreement offer services at a price 10%-15% lower than that of conference lines.

Visitors who brave the ever-congested Asian streets can choose from several U.S. rental chains Despite dire warnings of traffic congestion and street signs in unfamiliar characters, tourists are renting cars […]

Intense competition between shipping lines serving imports from Asia is forcing shipping rates to go down further despite many ships sailing at almost maximum capacity due to the approaching holiday season. The 11 carriers which handle about 50% of the containerized cargo from Asia are foregoing collective rate-setting and, instead, are negotiating special agreements with shippers.

The US is developing a new air strategy if discussions with five Asian countries push through and end in successful negotiation in light of deadlocked talks with Japan on 'open skies' in Asia because of the latter's resistance to the idea, the US is looking towards strengthening and liberalizing its air agreements with Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea and Singapore.

The Far Eastern Freight Conference is actively trying to arrest the continuing reduction of freight rates in the Europe-Asia trades. It is using the approach employed by the Trans-Atlantic Conference Agreement in successfully stemming falling rates and restoring stability to the infamous North Atlantic trades. Freight rates on eastbound and westbound services in the Europe-Asia trades currently stand at around $100 a 20-foot unit on average.

Servicing the intra-Asian area can be a profitable venture for shipping lines. Major Asian manufacturers have moved their operations outside their borders, resulting in the growth of intra-Asian shipments. Orient Overseas Container Line Ltd. corporate affairs manager Stanley Shen claims that his company's volumes have soared by 30% to 40%. He also says that profitability varies by the type of service and route.

The Asian Shipowners' Forum consisting of 11 Asian countries is pushing through with its plan to establish a marine insurance center in Asia. This development would challenge the prominent role in the international market of London insurers who attempt to place restrictions on shipowners' hull cover. Asian shipowners want more control over marine insurance since they claim they are underrepresented on the boards.

The cost of exporting US cotton to Asia in 1995 may increase by hundreds of dollars per container from the 1994 figure. Shipping lines have recently announced a standard price increase of $20 a metric ton of cotton beginning in the Fall of 1995. An additional cost of $90 to $125 could face exporters if the members of the Transpacific Westbound Rate Agreement decide to stop paying the trucking fee from off-dock container freight stations to ports in the West Coast. Cotton exporters fear that these and other costs could undermine their competitiveness in Far East markets.

The shipping industry had another mixed year in 1994, with plenty of orders but low prices and improved rates for westbound cargo across the Pacific before the Kobe earthquake confused matters. Japan caught S Korea in tonnage of ships ordered, but both are still waiting for the large numbers of new tanker orders they expect. A Philippine joint venture bought that country's first new ships in two decades, with more perhaps to follow. Several shipping lines agreed to share space, port facilities, and sailing schedules.

The growth of refrigerated goods transport between the US and the Far East has been growing at a fast rate in 1994. This is attributed to the growing economic power of Asian countries, reflected in stronger purchasing power for better quality food. Cargo rates have remained stable so far. The transport of plums, peaches, broccoli and grapes have shown the highest growth rates, while demand for citrus, frozen poultry and beef is also growing.

A HIGHLIGHT of this week's state visit to France by Jiang Zemin, China's president, was a train ride. Not the rattling, cramped journey that the billion passengers who use China's [...]

Asian air cargo carriers saw business expand by 10-15% in 1993 but face an array of problems that belie signs of prosperity such as Hong Kong's air cargo throughput exceeding the million-ton mark for the first time. Competition and bigger aircraft have forced margins down, which benefited passengers but not carriers. In addition, 60-70% of air cargo is transported in passenger aircraft and is therefore susceptible to the vicissitudes of the air travel market. Excessive numbers of aircraft purchased during the 1980s boom have resulted in too many empty seats.

Japanese and US airlines are locked in a dispute over the latter's share of the Asian-Pacific market. At issue is the fifth-freedom rights of US carriers, or the right to pick up passengers en route to their final destination. While Japan has an overall trade surplus with the US, the situation is reversed in the air travel market. Most Asian governments also feel that US airlines have too big a market share.