REPORT - WTM2005: Seats sold on selected Asia Pacific airlines in the first half increased 6.5% on average. There were declines. For Thai – understandably, because of the tsunami last December. For Qantas – most likely the winds of competition. And Royal Brunei – which is cutting capacity, albeit at 12% compared with its 14% fall in traffic.

Growth at Singapore Airlines, the regional leader in seat sales, was below its preferred 7-8%. The big performer was Cathay Pacific, up a very fast 15%. Part of this is traffic growth caused by some fare wars, and part from the airline’s relatively-recent (re)entry into the China market, particularly on routes to Beijing and Shanghai.

The other surprise is growth at Malaysia Airlines – which is prompted in part by competition-prompted fare discounting.

Some of the region’s ‘secondaries’ – relatively-new airlines challenging incumbents in their home markets – are already quite large. Largest is Korea’s Asiana, followed by Taiwan’s Eva and Hong Kong’s Dragonair. All are bigger, for instance, than established Philippine Airlines, and a still-downsizing Garuda. Air Macau, also relatively-new, is growing fast, and seems likely to become larger than Garuda, probably this year.

Two subsidiaries – Australian, of Qantas, and Silk, of Singapore – are both matching their parents in terms of lower-than-average growth. Results (all percentage growth unless stated): Air Macau 24.1%, All Nippon 7.3%, Asiana 10.7%, Australian 3.8%, Cathay Pacific 14.5%, China 11.3%, Dragonair 9.9%, Eva 9.5%, Garuda down 2.1%, Japan 6.1%, Korean Air 10.9%, Malaysia 17.0%, Philippine 8.6%, Qantas down 0.7%, Royal Brunei down 14.4%, Silk Air 4.8%, Singapore 3.7%, Thai down 7.7%.