Christchurch International Airport

AirAsia X continues concentration theme with Christchurch withdrawal as ultra-long-haul loses favour

AirAsia X is continuing to act on its concentration plan to build scale in key markets rather than spread itself out. The Kuala Lumpur-based low-cost long-haul carrier is withdrawing services to Christchurch and increasing capacity to Perth and Taipei. The withdrawal from Christchurch is despite high load factors, indicating – as with the carrier's withdrawals from London and Paris – the problem is of yield on ultra-long-haul sectors where an LCC's lower cost base has less advantage as fuel comprises a greater share of costs than on shorter sectors.

The withdrawal of four-weekly services to Christchurch, effective at the end of May-2012, will remove AirAsia X's longest flight, leaving all other services – primarily to Australia and North Asia – in a five-to-eight hour range. Previously the carrier's longest flights were to Paris and London, although operated with A340s instead of A330s to Christchurch, but AirAsia X announced in Jan-2012 that Paris and London would be suspended by the end of Mar-2012.

JAL Airline of the Year and John Borghetti CEO of the Year - CAPA Aviation Awards for Excellence

Japan Airlines; Mr John Borghetti of Virgin Australia; Changi Airport; IndiGo; SilkAir; Ibaraki Airport; SITA and Malaysia Airlines; Christchurch Airport and Sendai Airport take top honours

Japanese aviation is the big winner in this year’s CAPA Aviation Awards for Excellence, reflecting the beginning of a new era in aviation in Japan and North Asia. Japan Airlines has been named CAPA Asia Pacific Airline of the Year 2011, while Ibaraki Airport near Tokyo was named Low Cost Airport of the Year and Sendai Airport received a Special Airport Leadership Award from CAPA in recognition of its community and industry leadership and teamwork in responding to the Japanese earthquake and tsunami disaster this year. Singapore aviation was also strongly represented, as Singapore Changi Airport and SilkAir were both major category winners.

Air New Zealand orders up to 12 ATR72-600s for rapid regional expansion

Air New Zealand's order today for up to 12 ATR72-600 turboprop aircraft will require the airline to more heavily market regional New Zealand in overseas destinations, particularly in Australia.

Over the past eight years ANZ's regional network has grown at an average clip of 5.6% per annum -- even factoring in the global financial crisis. "Clearly this commitment for these additional aircraft is testament to our belief that we will continue to see growth at those levels going forward," ANZ chief executive Rob Fyfe says in Auckland.

Air New Zealand won't make money in 1HFY2011

Air New Zealand CEO Rob Fyfe stated the carrier “won’t make money” in the six months to 30-Jun-2011 although services will be full during the Rugby World Cup.

Virgin consolidates fragmented fare structure – looking like Air New Zealand

Virgin Australia has announced the introduction of a new fare structure, which the airline claims will deliver “innovative pricing together with greater flexibility, simpler choices and better value”. The revised structure is part of the overhaul of the Virgin brand and a key step in simplifying another fragmented part of the company’s product.

JAL eyes domestic LCC; Qantas moots cuts as fuel bites; IATA reports shares drop 10%

Japan Airlines – which officially emerged from court-promoted bankruptcy this week – has a domestic LCC on its radar with Jetstar the most likely partner. Jetstar will reportedly outline the business case for the Japanese to the Qantas board in coming weeks, according to reports in Japan and Australia.