Sendai Airport

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.

Japan crisis has major impact on regional travel and tourism flows

The events in Japan have had a “major impact on regional travel and tourism flows”, Association of Asia Pacific Aviation (AAPA) Director General, Andrew Herdman has said. He noted that Japan represents 6.5% of worldwide scheduled air traffic and accounts for a fifth of traffic within the Asia Pacific region.

Uncertainty prevails in global financial markets. Travel patterns to be disrupted: Japan Update #5

Oil prices rebounded overnight to just under USD100 per barrel in New York, as the market responds to various external shocks. Middle East tensions have pushed oil prices higher this year, though the unfolding crisis in the world's third largest economy, Japan, is putting downward pressure on oil. Airlines are caught in the middle - on the one hand facing up to significantly higher costs, and now the potential for revenue/demand-side pressure as fresh questions are raised about the global economy and consumer confidence. We have entered a period of considerable volatility.

Japan invokes 30km no-fly zone around Fukushima plant; more flights to north-east - Update 4

Japan's Transport Ministry have initiated a 30 km no fly zone around the Fukushima nuclear power station, due to concerns that radioactive particles from the damaged plant to could enter passing aircraft.

Sendai Airport resumes helicopter operations, JAL and ANA add flights to Northeast Japan: Update 3

Sendai Airport resumed helicopter services at 7am on 15-Mar-2011 following a round-the-clock operation to clear away earth, sand and debris from the airfield after Friday’s tsunami. According to a Nikkei report, only rescue helicopters of the Japanese Defence Force, Maritime Safety Agency and police can use the airport on a 24-hour basis.