Asia-Pacific LCCs broaden network options with widebodies and long haul narrowbodies – part one

The trend of low cost carriers adding widebodies for medium haul and long haul routes is still going strong in the Asia-Pacific region, in contrast to Europe and North America, where this model has lost ground over the past four years.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the LCC widebody model was most firmly entrenched in Asia-Pacific. Now, the region has increased its lead in this sector even further as more Asian LCCs enter the widebody market or boost existing fleets.

LCCs have multiple reasons for introducing widebodies - despite the historical reliance of such airlines on a single narrowbody aircraft type. Widebodies obviously add range and allow more capacity, as well as increasing cargo capabilities.

This sector of the market has often been labelled 'long haul low cost', although most LCCs in the Asia-Pacific region use their widebodies for medium haul rather than true long haul flights.

Another dynamic for LCCs in medium and long haul markets is the development of new extended-range narrowbodies, which are increasingly allowing LCCs to fulfil network expansion ambitions with smaller aircraft.