Commercial aviation opportunities in APAC following the reopening of China

The reopening of commercial aviation in Asia has inevitably followed a different timeline to Europe.

While standardization of border crossing regulations in Asia have lagged behind the rest of the world, becoming a point of friction when it comes to travel resuming, demand has picked up again. The China Air Transport Association (CATA) is claiming aviation has returned to near pre-pandemic level, while software business Sabre has identified significant spikes in demand for flights into China as Covid restrictions were relaxed and tourist visas were issued earlier this year. Meanwhile, domestic airlines in India carried a record 13 million passengers in March, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation Data and the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam has predicted the country’s air traffic will recover to 2019 levels this year.

Ultimately, while the bounce back is incomplete and imbalanced, we can see some green shoots of recovery, meaning aviation businesses can respond smartly to seize new opportunities.

The power of the Jetcraft network

The pandemic caused a significant shortage of high-quality aircraft in APAC because many smaller carriers pushed back maintenance events during this period. As a result, they need to access funds – depleted from a lack of activity – to perform the necessary maintenance on aircraft that have spent some time out of service.

In response, Jetcraft Commercial has harnessed the power of its network to identify opportunities for airlines to benefit from cost-effective maintenance, as well as regional and single-aisle aircraft fleeting solutions.

We’ve also been tasked with addressing the shortage of quality aircraft in the region by designing complex transactions between multiple parties. For example, this year we acquired three ATR72-600 aircraft from Bangkok Airways and delivered them to Uzbekistan Airports to be placed with the country’s new community airline, Silk Avia which is bringing more remote communities together. We completed this acquisition despite the ongoing pandemic-related recession that was affecting air travel in Thailand.

This is the type of transaction that will contribute to greater connectivity and new opportunities across the region. It was made possible by our extensive expertise in swiftly and efficiently structuring and closing complex transactions involving multiple aircraft and parties.

Responding to a shifting environment

Even though the recovery is well underway, the pandemic continues to demonstrate how the most challenging circumstances can introduce new opportunities if businesses respond creatively.

While Covid-19 required airlines to adjust their strategies and long-term plans, aviation businesses could succeed through access to the right networks, expertise, and insight.

Find out more about how Jetcraft Commercial can help your business seize opportunities in a shifting landscape.