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Aviation

Aviation
Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on aviation, with a particular focus on the industry in Hong Kong, mainland China and Asia.
last updated:
9 September, 2024
A JetBlue passenger caused chaos at Boston Logan Airport by opening an emergency exit door. Photo: AFP
United States

JetBlue passenger opens emergency exit after reportedly arguing with girlfriend

The incident caused a three-hour delay for his own flight to Puerto Rico, and also postponed dozens of other flights at Boston Logan International Airport.

China's military weapons

Why do China’s sixth-gen stealth fighters have different designs?

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South Korea

‘I feel heavy responsibility’: transport minister to resign over Jeju Air crash

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Nepal

Planning a helicopter tour of Everest? Nepal has some bad news for you

Officials say locals angry at the environmental impact of helicopter flights and loss of income from trekkers have threatened landing sites.

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A helicopter flies around the Everest region in Nepal last year. Photo: EPA-EFE
Transport and logistics

China approves new airport in Guangdong to ease congestion woes

New facility in country’s largest province slated to process 30 million annual trips by 2035, 2.2 million tonnes of cargo per year by 2050.

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South Korea

South Korea extends shutdown of Jeju Air crash airport

Muan International Airport had been due to reopen on Tuesday following the December 29 crash that killed 179 people.

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Extreme weather

Heavy snow brings widespread disruption across UK and Germany

Snow and ice disrupt the end of the busy New Year holiday travel season.

Staff use tractors to help clear snow from around aircraft at Manchester Airport in Manchester, Britain. Photo: Reuters
South Korea

South Korea fatal crash cockpit transcript nearly complete, investigators say

Investigators say the recording may hold clues to the final moments of Jeju Air flight 2216, as the US and Boeing join the search.

China economy

Opinion | China’s Dalian airport will be more than an infrastructure marvel

This would-be world’s biggest offshore airport marries China’s aim to revitalise its northeastern belt with its ambition to bolster its global influence in aviation, trade and logistics.

Hong Kong transport

Air Busan flight from Hong Kong aborts landing after gear malfunction scare

Pilot unable to confirm if landing gear functioning, prompting decision to circle around for additional checks.

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A subsidiary of Asiana Airline, Air Busan was established in 2008 as a regional carrier. Photo: Facebook/Air Busan Hong Kong Branch
Hong Kong transport

Cathay apologises over 54-hour delay to flight going from Toronto to Hong Kong

Flight was diverted to Iceland so passenger could receive urgent medical help, and returned to Toronto due to crew flying hour limits.

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Cathay said it had arranged hotel accommodation, meals and transport for the passengers in Toronto who were affected by the delay. Photo: Yik Yeung-man
China airliners

China’s Comac to double down on safety as global aviation industry reels from deadly crashes

The company said that 2025 would be a challenging year, as the global aviation industry faced a ‘severe, complex safety situation’.

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Accidents and disasters in China

China steps up air safety after deadly Azerbaijani, South Korean plane crashes

Aviation authority urges measures to avoid bird strikes and assess risks in response to Jeju Air and Azerbaijan Airlines disasters.

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Japan

Sky-high swindlers: passengers warned as in-flight thefts soar in Japan

The thefts onboard airlines flying into and out of Narita International Airport could be linked to crime syndicates, analysts say.

There has been a surge of in-flight thefts on board airlines flying into and out of Narita International Airport in Tokyo. Photo: Shutterstock
Ukraine war

Some Chinese flights avoiding southern Russia after Azerbaijan Airlines crash

Flights to Georgia and Hungary seem to avoid Russia’s Dagestan region after plane carrying 67 allegedly shot down by Russian air defence.

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China is among the few countries still using Russian airspace for civilian flights since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Photo: Xinhua
Hong Kong transport

Hong Kong’s air passenger traffic soars to pre-pandemic levels over Christmas

Secretary for Transport Mable Chan says the number of flight movements on a single day peaked at about 1,150 during Christmas period.

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South Korea

Did soil-covered concrete contribute to deadly Jeju Air crash in South Korea?

Experts argue a soil-covered foundation worsened the impact and are calling for a comprehensive review of the nation’s airport layouts.

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Australia

2 Virgin Australia crew members allegedly raped, robbed in Fiji

Fiji police were investigating the incidents that happened outside a nightclub in Nadi.

Virgin Australia planes parked at Sydney airport. Photo: Reuters
Hong Kong aviation

Editorial | China’s C919 aims to spread wings further after ‘historic’ Hong Kong service

Launch of first commercial route outside mainland China part of efforts to fly home-made passenger aircraft into global markets.

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Hong Kong transport

Fanfare as first C919 commercial flight leaves Hong Kong for Shanghai

‘The C919 is a source of pride. As a flight enthusiast, I feel very honoured to be part of this significant milestone,’ a passenger says.

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South Korea

Jeju Air crash: calls for removal of runway wall, as scrutiny intensifies

Experts say use of ‘frangible’ materials for guidance facilities to reduce impact of crashes would have made the accident ‘far less deadly’.

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Police forensics personnel and National Bureau of Investigation officials are seen by a wall as they work at the scene of the Jeju Air plane crash at Muan International Airport in South Korea on December 31. Photo: Yonhap / AFP
South Korea

South Korea airport had only 1 worker to fend off birds during plane crash

Staffing levels spark concerns about the adequacy of bird control operations at the airport.

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The tail section of the Jeju Air plane that crashed at South Korea’s Muan airport. Photo: AFP/Yonhap
South Korea

Jeju Air, Azerbaijani jet crashes mark deadliest year in aviation since 2018

The spike in fatalities marks a reversal from 2023, which became the safest year ever in aviation with no deaths among large passenger planes.

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South Korea

Editorial | Answers awaited on air disaster in South Korea

Recorders from wreckage of South Korea’s worst plane crash should offer clues on whether a bird strike or engine and undercarriage problems were to blame.

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Asia travel

Mantle of longest Boeing 747 passenger flight to pass from Asia to Europe

Korean Air will replace the ‘Queen of the Skies’ with the smaller Boeing 777-300ER for its 7,153-mile flight from Seoul to Atlanta in 2025.

The final Boeing 747 lands at Paine Field following a test flight on January 10 in Everett, Washington. Photo: AP
China airliners

China’s C919 preps for busy 2025 as manufacturer makes expansion plans

With an extensive backlog of orders, China’s premier planemaker is boosting its production capacity to rev up output for the new year.

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China’s premier aerospace manufacturer is gearing up for a busy 2025 as its purchase order backlog grows. Photo: Xinhua
Hong Kong transport

Bird strikes in Hong Kong unlikely to cause plane crashes, experts say

A bird strike has emerged as a possible cause for Jeju Air plane crash-landing in Korea and killing 179 people.

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South Korea

Air investigators retrieve black boxes from South Korea crash site

The crash of Jeju Air 7C2216 is among the worst air disasters in the nation’s aviation history

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