Increased liberalisation key to industry health -- AAPA
Beatrice Lim, Commercial Director at the Association of Asia
Pacific Airlines, called on Asian regulators to provide a more open environment
for the region's carrier. Saying that, "Asian aviation needs fresh thinking
and further moves towards genuine liberalisation," Ms Lim joined Centre
Chairman, Peter Harbison, who also moderated the session, in saluting Malaysia's
recent move to begin the meaningful liberalisation of the vital Kuala Lumpur-Singapore
route.
Also on the panel was Chris Tarry, Managing Director of strategy consultancy CTAIRA. Mr Tarry, also said that liberalisation was a key ingredient for the continuing health of the sector, noting that, "enhanced international opportunities are among the biggest opportunities for growth."
Aviation Outlook Summit 2008 is the fourth meeting of the Centre's annual review of the Asia Pacific and Middle East airline industry and its future prospects. This year's gathering is focused on the need for Asian industry participants to play a leadership role in the events that continue to shape the global aviation sector, especially as the region begins to generate the largest share of world traffic.
Aviation leaders from all segments of the industry have assembled in Singapore to discuss and debate how the regional sector can proactively assert itself in such vital fields as the environment, liberalisation and the necessary evolution of the aviation business model, for both full-service and low cost airlines.
The event's organiser, the Sydney-based Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, is the region's leading independent air transport research and analysis group. With offices in New Delhi, Singapore, Geneva, Vancouver and the UK, the Centre is the consensus authority on matters related to all elements of Asia Pacific airlines and airports.