Singapore – AirAsia, in collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Gardens by the Bay and Mandai Wildlife Group has unveiled the ‘Love, Singapore’ aircraft livery today. The launch comes as part of a joint campaign to promote inbound travel to Singapore from visitors in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, riding on the year-end travel peak in the region.

This Airbus A320 aircraft livery features a special design showcasing Singapore’s iconic attractions, including Gardens by the Bay and Mandai Wildlife Group’s wildlife parks such as Singapore Zoo and Bird Paradise, alongside Merli, Singapore’s energetic and outgoing brand character inspired by the Merlion. 

Moreover, this livery aims to inspire regional travellers to rediscover the diverse and vibrant experiences that Singapore has to offer.

Terrence Voon, executive director for Southeast Asia of Singapore Tourism Board said, “We are delighted to partner AirAsia and our tourism stakeholders, to bring Singapore’s offerings to life in our regional skies. Our exciting lineup of events and experiences will give travellers plenty of reasons to visit or revisit Singapore this year, and we encourage them to take advantage of the great deals that will launch with the “Love, Singapore” aircraft livery to book their next holiday to Singapore.”

Meanwhile, Dato’ Captain Fareh Mazputra, managing director of AirAsia Malaysia, commented, “We are proud to partner with the Singapore Tourism Board, especially as we mark 20 years of operations in Singapore this year. Currently, we operate 454 flights weekly in and out of Singapore to Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. Amongst all, the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore route, being the world’s busiest, is vital for boosting tourism and this partnership is a perfect opportunity to leverage our extensive flight network to strengthen our ties between the neighbouring countries.”

Moreover, Addison Goh, senior director of business development at Gardens by the Bay said, “Gardens by the Bay is honoured to be featured in this collaboration between AirAsia and Singapore Tourism Board. As a horticultural show garden that was most recently voted the top attraction in Asia and eighth best attraction in the world in TripAdvisor’s 2024 Traveller’s Choice Awards, our chief mission is to spread our love for the plant world in new and creative ways to reach out to a broad audience beyond just nature lovers. There is so much that we have to offer visitors to Singapore, and we are excited to be able to share what we do with travellers from around the region.”

Lastly, Jean Choi, chief sales and marketing officer at Mandai Wildlife Group, stated, “We are excited to bring the magic of our wildlife parks to the skies, and in a truly unique way. With ever-evolving experiences from close animal encounters to seasonal events like Night Safari’s 30th Anniversary, there’s always something new to explore in our parks. As part of the “Love, Singapore” campaign, AirAsia customers booking flights to Singapore can enjoy a special promotion on park admissions or take advantage of our value-packed ParkHopper bundle where you can access four parks for the price of two. It’s a perfect time to visit Singapore and immerse in meaningful wildlife experiences.” 

South Korea – Korean Air has appointed Jongheon Sim (Jong) as its new chief communications officer. Jong, a communicator and aviation industry veteran, will be handling the airline’s communication strategies and public relations. 

After working for the airline for 27 years in a variety of roles, including operations, communications, and external relations, Jong developed his communication skills. He became the airline’s managing director in December 2022 and became the deputy chief communications officer as well. He oversaw the airline’s social media and digital communications team before this assignment. 

He began his career in 1997 as a passenger business representative for Korean Air and went on to advance in airport operations in Incheon, Los Angeles, Seattle, and New York. In 2008, he took over as team head of airport operations in Seattle. In 2017, he moved to New York’s JFK airport, which is a major international hub for Korean Air, as general manager and head of the airport service team. 

Because of his background in international relations, Jong was assigned to work at the airline’s HRDC, where he was in charge of staff training before sending them abroad.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Local low-cost airline MYAirline has announced that is suspending its operations following financial woes the company is currently facing.

“We deeply regret and apologise for having to make this decision as we understand the impact it will have on our loyal passengers, dedicated employees and partners. We have worked tirelessly to explore various partnership and capital-raising options to prevent this suspension. Unfortunately, the constraints of time have left us with no alternative but to take this decision,” the company’s board of directors said in a statement.

The company has also apologised to its passengers who have been stranded at the airports without assistance from MYAirline staff.

“At present, MYAirline is exploring all avenues to reactivate its operations and fly again. We respectfully ask for patience from all stakeholders while we evaluate all options. MYAirline will issue further updates when they are available,” the company also added.

The suspension of operations comes days after MYAirline had announced key leadership changes, with long-time CEO Rayner Teo stepping down due to health constraints.

Following this update, low-cost giant AirAsia has come forward to offer support to affected passengers and employees of the airline.

In a statement, airasia said that it is offering a special discount for affected passengers who have confirmed flight bookings to and from Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Penang, Tawau, Kota Bharu, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Kota Kinabalu-Tawau, and Don Mueng-Bangkok and Suvarnabhumi-Bangkok. This took effect from October 12 and will end on November 30.

Bo Lingam, group CEO at AirAsia Aviation Group, said, “As the people’s airline, we deeply empathise with all affected MYAirline passengers and their staff. We understand the stress and disruption this situation has caused and hope that this 50 percent discount will assist affected passengers in making new travel arrangements, making full use of our extensive flight network to all key destinations.”

He added, “Our thoughts also go out to all the dedicated staff impacted by this situation. We recognise the talent and experience of MYAirline’s staff, and would like to extend a helping hand. We are pleased to consider hiring eligible and qualified individuals from MYAirline who share our passion for the industry and are willing to contribute their skills and expertise to our team. We encourage affected MYAirline staff to reach out to us and explore the possibilities of joining our Allstars family.”

Bangkok, Thailand – Southeast Asia country Thailand is set to launch its first international show by 2027. The event, initiated by Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), was approved during the meeting of the Eastern Economic Corridor Office of Thailand (EECO) held early in March 2022 and chaired by the Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha. 

The Thailand International Air Show, which will be organised at U-Tapao International Airport near Pattaya in 2027, is seen by TCEB as an expression of the progress it is making on ‘Thailand 4.0’, which includes the development of an aviation hub in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC). With the EEC as Thailand’s new centre for industrial investment and U-Tapao airport’s upgrade to become Bangkok’s third international airport, the air show is seen to be a catalyst for the growth of Thailand’s civil and commercial aviation industry. 

TCEB President, Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, said that the approval from the government for Thailand to organise the first Thailand International Air Show is a testament to the potential for business events to drive Thailand’s economic transformation. 

“As Thailand recovers from the impact of COVID-19, we believe that large-scale, high-profile, international events such as the air show will not only give our economy a boost but also give our manufacturers and service providers a very targetted platform to showcase their specialised capabilities. We know there are extraordinary business opportunities to be found in our aviation, aerospace, and logistics sectors under ‘Thailand 4.0’ and the Thailand International Air Show will be a key event for investors from around the world,” said Chiruit Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya. 

The Thailand International Air Show will be held every two years at U-Tapao International Airport near Pattaya and has been scheduled for 2027, 2029, and 2031. The show will include a conference, an indoor exhibition, static and aerial displays of aircraft, and receptions. The EECO is the official organiser of the show, and is supported by TCEB and the Royal Navy of Thailand in the working committee. 

TCEB will be responsible for marketing and public relations, both domestically and overseas, to raise awareness and attract potential exhibitors. TCEB will also plan a series of activities from 2023 through to the opening date of the show. In the announcement stage from 2023–2025, TCEB’s ‘Road to Air Show’ project will familiarise domestic entrepreneurs and businesses with the concept of the air show and how they can benefit from it. During this period, TCEB will also organise the ‘Aviation & LOG IN Week’, a roadshow to the EEC where meetings, exhibitions, and mega events in related sectors will be held in the same location around the same time. 

The soft launch of the air show will take place in 2025 in the form of press conferences, academic conferences, and participation in aviation-related trade shows worldwide before the full show starts in 2027.

TCEB said that the airshow is expected to attract some 75,000 participants and create 18,760 jobs in the country.

Singapore – Singapore Airlines (SIA), the flag carrier airline of Singapore, has launched its new sonic identity titled ‘The Sound of Singapore Airlines’, which will be experienced throughout every passengers’ journey with the airline, done in partnership with London’s specialist sonic branding agency DLMDD.

The new sonic identity was created by award-winning composer Rohan De Livera, with audio architect Dominic Murcott, and was performed by the Budapest Symphony Orchestra.

‘The Sound of Singapore Airlines’ forms part of SIA’s new brand architecture aimed to stimulate all five senses, and comprises three 10-minute instrumental tracks. This includes ‘Landing Music’, ‘Boarding Music’, and ‘Lounge Music’. The musical trilogy has been designed to be played onboard aircraft during boarding, landing, and in airport lounges. It will be heard by travelers across every other SIA customer touchpoint such as services centers, social media channels, and music streaming platforms like Spotify.

The music was inspired by the new Singapore Airlines batik motif, which pays homage to its brand heritage. The tracks reflect the original batik motif of the cabin crews’ sarong kebaya, and Singapore’s status as a garden city.

“There has never been a more important moment in history for an airline to tell and evolve its story in the skies. This is a truly stunning sonic identity that not only pushes artistic possibilities and technological capabilities, but most importantly brings collaborators from all corners of the world together to create something bold, innovative, and unique that’s going to live with the airline for many years to come,” said Max De Lucia, the founder and client director of DLMDD.

Singapore – Singapore Airlines (SIA) has announced a new arm that will offer external businesses and organizations training programs in broad areas of service excellence, operational excellence, organizational innovation, and digital transformation.

The Singapore Airlines Academy will leverage the wide range of globally recognized skills and competencies that exists within SIA, which have enabled the Airline to establish a pre-eminent position in a highly competitive industry. It will also tap on the decades of experience that has been accumulated by SIA staff.

Training packages will be customized to meet the requirements of individual companies and organizations. Courses that will be offered include Service Excellence and Leadership, Handling Challenging Customers, and Innovation Programme and Playbook. They will be conducted by SIA trainers, who are certified instructors and facilitators with practical front-line experience.

SIA began offering external courses in September 2020, when it collaborated on a customized training program with Singapore-based Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) for its patient care officers. The three-day course included topics such as effective interpersonal communication, customer handling, and learning how to exemplify values such as empathy, warmth, and care.

Vanessa Ng, SIA’s vice president for human resources shared that the airline receives many requests from organizations wanting to know how it has attained its leadership in the industry in terms of operational excellence and successful digital transformation.

“Our focus on people development and investment in training has been key to achieving these world-class standards. We are happy to share our competencies by offering specialized training programs to external organizations. This would also allow us to contribute to Singapore’s national goal of reskilling and upskilling the country’s workforce,” said Ng.

Ng also noted that the new academy is also a strategic move for the SIA Group, having a potential to add a new source of revenue in the coming years.

Manila, Philippines – In its efforts to boost domestic tourism in the Philippines, AirAsia has partnered with local hotels in the country to launch SNAP, a new flight and hotel platform on airasia.com which offers convenient fly and stay packages.  

The airline will be offering an introductory SNAP promotion of up to 50% off on flights when consumers book a flight and hotel via the platform. This special promotional fare will be available on airasia.com from 21 to 27 September 2020, for travel from 21 September 2020 to 25 March 2021.

The airline assures in its press statement that it will be complying with advice and regulations from the local government, civil aviation authorities,  and global and local health agencies, including the World Health Organization. 

The company said that guests can expect enhanced safety measures throughout the entire journey, including pre-flight, in-flight, and arrival processes. These include the mandatory wearing of face masks to be permitted to travel, among others. Guests will also be advised to check and comply with measures implemented by local airport authorities for a smooth travel experience.

AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricky Isla said, “We are pleased to launch SNAP in the Philippines to be able to provide new and affordable offerings on airasia.com, especially for business travelers and those planning for their future getaways once leisure travel is permitted.”

Isla added, “Aside from developing airasia.com as Asia’s fastest-growing super app, this initiative has opened up opportunities to work with partner hotels, as we start to recover from the effects of the pandemic which have devastated the travel and tourism industry. We look forward to forming more partnerships with more hotels in the future.”