Airline News - Asia Pacific.

Air Asia

Air Asia has managed to alienate all of the world that does not support Manchester United by painting an aircraft in the red of the former Busby Babes and adding the images of the team's Scottish manager and some of its players. The aircraft, known as the Red Devil Airbus A320, will be used on routes from Kuala Lumpur to Penang, Kota Kinabalu and Surabaya (Indonesia). Quite what happens when Mr. Ferguson falls out with Alan Smith we are not sure and it is questionable whether it is the first aircraft to be painted in a football club livery. Doncaster Rovers (who are probably not known in Indonesia) last year became the only football club to date to have an aircraft registered after themselves, Air Atlantique's ATR 42 G-DRFC. http://www.airasia.com Feb 6, 2006

Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific is to postpone its planned launch of a three-times-weekly service to Moscow, and onwards to Manchester, citing regulatory problems. The airline announced in December 2005 that, subject to final government approval, flights would commence on 27 March 2006. Preparations for a new service typically need to be in hand well in advance of the launch date. Unfortunately, CX continues to await the completion of regulatory formalities regarding Manchester, which is taking longer than originally anticipated, so the airline has made the decision now to postpone. The airline hopes to launch the service later in the year. The Hong Kong - Moscow code-share, operated by Aeroflot, continues for the time being. http://www.cathaypacific.com February 12, 2006

Cathay Pacific, VLM 

We very rarely publicize awards, as there are too many of them, and particularly in one specific case, not even creditable. However when it comes to the US-based magazine Air Transport World (ATW) they do carry respect, having been established 32 years, the award winners always deserving. Airline of the year goes to Cathay Pacific, Regional Airline of the year VLM (effectively based at London City) and the technology achievement award to Embraer for the 170 series aircraft. http://www.atwonline.com February 12, 2006

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines held their Houses of Parliament reception number 20 at Westminster last week. The airline has just celebrated 35 years of operations at Heathrow and 20 at Manchester. SIA also used the occasion to introduce the new UK general manager, Marvin Ta, for whom it is going to be a very busy year, doing the social rounds at Farnborough where the Airbus A380 is likely to steal the show, and later on, the actual introduction of the aircraft on the London - Singapore route. He confirmed that the aircraft would be configured three class with 480 maximum passengers. Users of Heathrow T3 may well have seen that in fact the aircraft has already arrived. A massive model is now hanging from the ceiling in the departure lounge. http://www.singaporeair.com February 12, 2006