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Asia is emerging as the engine of global aviation growth, with India, China and Southeast Asia forecast to account for eight of the world's 10 fastest-growing air travel markets between 2024 and 2044, according to a whitepaper released on Monday, ahead of the 2026 Singapore Airshow. The paper by Alton Aviation Consultancy outlines that international traffic in Asia-Pacific grew by 8.0 per cent in 2025, outpacing global RPK growth of 6.8 per cent. Carriers across the region have launched more than 600 new routes since 2015, significantly improving access to underserved destinations and enhancing intra-regional connectivity. The whitepaper highlights India as one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets, underpinned by robust economic fundamentals and a rapidly expanding middle class. While China continues to play a dominant role, Alton notes that Southeast Asia is an emerging growth region, led by markets such as Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Mabel Kwan, Managing .
Air India on Friday said it has signed a commercial cooperation framework agreement with Singapore Airlines as part of which the carriers will, among other things, explore ways to improve connectivity between Singapore and India. Singapore Airlines holds a 25.1 per cent stake in the Tata Group-backed airline. This strengthened collaboration allows the airlines to explore ways to improve connectivity between Singapore and India, delivering greater choice and benefits for customers, a statement said. The agreement was signed here between Air India Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Campbell Wilson, and SIA Chief Executive Officer Goh Choon Phong on Friday, it said. Subject to regulatory approvals and the signing of definitive joint business agreements, the airlines aim to expand and enhance the product and service offerings, enabling seamless connections and more route options, and allowing customers to book flights across both airlines under a single unified journey, Air
Akasa Air has joined global airlines' grouping International Air Transport Association (IATA) as a member. IATA represents over 360 airlines, including Indian carriers Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo and SpiceJet. In a release on Friday, Akasa Air said it became an IATA member after completing IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) which is mandatory for the membership. "We are excited to welcome Akasa Air as an IATA member. India's aviation potential is huge, with the industry supporting 7.7 million jobs and USD 53.6 billion in economic contribution," Regional Vice President for Asia-Pacific for IATA Sheldon Hee said. With a fleet of 31 Boeing 737 MAX planes. Akasa Air connects 26 domestic and 6 international cities. About the IATA membership, Akasa Air Founder and CEO Vinay Dubey said the association will strengthen the airline's global credibility and position it as a future-ready Indian airline on the world stage.
An Air India pilot was arrested at Vancouver International Airport last week as he was preparing for a flight, with Canada's transportation agency warning the airline that it faced loss of its flight authorisations if it did not comply with rules about alcohol consumption. Transport Canada said in a statement Friday that the incident took place on December 23, and it would engage with Air India and Indian aviation authorities to ensure appropriate followup actions were taken. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the arrest occurred after a report of concern involving an airline crew member. Police said an investigation is ongoing and no further information would be released. A spokeswoman for the airport said the pilot had been preparing for Air India's scheduled daily flight from Vancouver to Delhi, which was delayed for several hours but later departed safely. Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 shows that the December 23 Air India flight from Vancouver to Delhi via Vienna w