Articles tagged “Asia-Pacific”

Virgin Australia: Long a Loser, Now a Winner

In this Australian version of David versus Goliath, Goliath always wins — at least until now. After years in the long shadow of Qantas, Virgin Australia appears to be closing the profitability gap. For the 2024 calendar year, it posted a superior operating margin of 10.8%, edging out Qantas at 10.6%. With Qatar Airways now holding a 25% stake and an IPO on the horizon, this week’s feature story explores what lies ahead for Australia's resurgent challenger.

The Mean Seats of Singapore

Uh oh. Looks like the party is winding down. Are the good times over for Singapore Airlines? Last week, it unveiled a lackluster 6% operating margin for the January-to-March quarter. It was roughly half the figure it earned at the same time last year, suggesting that indeed, the balloons might be popping and the dance music fading. In this week's feature story, we assess the prospects for one of Asia’s most esteemed carriers.

JAL-function: What’s Wrong with Japan Airlines?

Down. Down. Down. In 2024, Japan Airlines saw its annual profit margins drop again. Putting aside the pandemic-blemished period, JAL’s profitability declined for a sixth consecutive year. Last week, it posted a 7% operating margin for calendar year 2024. Not just down versus 2023, but a far cry from its 15% heyday. What’s happening? In this week's feature story we ask if the double-digit margins are gone forever and if JAL can turn things around.

Good Times in Taiwan

Ten years ago, Airline Weekly published a story about Taiwan’s booming airline traffic. East Asian economies were growing rapidly, low-cost carriers were expanding aggressively, and Emirates had just launched services linking Taipei with its Dubai mega-hub. Today, as 2024 nears its end, Taiwan’s airline market is again flourishing, however the dynamics are rather different. In this week's feature, we examine the key factors driving impressive margins and double-digit growth.

Bad Luck Run Amok: The Air New Zealand Story

Talk about bad luck. Greg Foran’s first day as chief executive of Air New Zealand was February 3rd, 2020. Barely a month later, the Covid virus all but grounded the airline’s passenger business. The crisis would end. But Foran’s luck didn’t get much better. Today, about 16% of ANZ’s jet fleet is grounded due to engine issues, affecting both B787s and A320-family Neos. Despite the woes, Foran and his team are bullish about the carrier's prospects, as we discover in this week's feature story.

Thunder Down Under: Qantas Flexes Its Muscles

Ten years ago Qantas was struggling. Dangerously thin profits, if not outright losses in some periods, drove its then-CEO Alan Joyce to undertake controversial cost-cutting measures. Fast forward to 2024, and Qantas is earning higher margins now than before the pandemic. With a new leadership team in place, Qantas believes things will get even better. In this week's feature story we separate the facts from the marketing fluff and ask what the future holds for the Flying Kangaroo.