The head of Asia Pacific’s airline industry’ grouping has called for stronger’ participation in key international policy’issues by the carriers.
Director general of the Association’ of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA), Andrew’ Herdman said Asia Pacific carriers have’ become key global players in the industry’ and should have a greater say in industry’issues.
"The growing influence of Asia Pacific’ needs to be matched by stronger engagement’ in key international policy issues,"’ he said according to a report in Aviation’ International News.
In Herdman’s view, because the area’ has been able to show growing economic’ leadership, it also must be ready for’ increased political activity on broader’policy issues.
"AAPA will continue to engage with’ industry associates and other stakeholders’ to ensure that Asia Pacific views are’ given proper weight," he said.’ The region had a 27 per cent share of’ 2006’s worldwide 2.1 billion scheduled’ airline passengers and a much larger’ 41 per cent of the 16 million tonnes of’ global air cargo.
"If these trends are sustained, within’ the next decade, Asia Pacific will have’ the largest share of passenger traffic,"’ said Herdman.
AAPA’s 17 member carriers reported’ US$3.4 billion operating profit on revenues’ valued at US$83 billion in 2006-07.’ The airlines’ almost 1,500-strong fleet’ transported 285 million passengers–just’ over half of them on domestic routes and’ 10 million tonnes of freight. The group’ accounts for 18 per cent of worldwide’ passenger totals and 32 per cent of’cargo traffic.
Herdman sees growth prospects in’ Asia Pacific as remaining "bright," although’ he calls for sustained progress’ to "truly liberalise" the marketplace. "We’ need to work toward greater harmonization,’ and speak with a common voice on’wider international issues," he said.
An important step toward permitting’ operators to compete globally would be’"relaxation of national ownership and’control rules," said Herdman, who is’critical of US-style "Open Skies" agreements.’He sees these arrangements, which’typically delete restrictions on capacity,’destination, frequency, and pricing, as’falling short of genuine liberalization.’"Almost without exception, domestic’markets remain basically closed to foreign’competition," he said.
The 2001 APEC Multilateral Agreement’ on Liberalisation of International’ Air Transport, involving Brunei, Chile,’ New Zealand, Singapore and the U.S.’ has been "probably the most ambitious’ step" toward a multi-region liberalization’ template, he said.
More recent moves have included’ the so-called ASEAN roadmap for deregulation’ between member countries” capitals by this year and on all services’ among those states by 2015. Different arrangements’ are being prepared between’ ASEAN subregions, while talks continue’ with China, Japan and Korea.
AAPA officials have praised a recent’ Open Skies agreement between’ Singapore and the UK for its "fresh’ thinking" on ownership and control.’ The "landmark deal," they said, is particularly’ noteworthy since it provides full’ cabotage rights to designated airlines on’ both sides, said Herdman.