Despite challenges, Asia's aerospace industry plots rebound at air show
As a depleted Singapore Airshow winds down, delegates reported growing optimism as the hard-hit Asian aerospace market begins to recover despite emerging concerns around labour shortages, rising costs and supply chain challenges. Organisers had estimated attendance of more than 13,000 ahead of the four-day show - still a shadow of previous years - but attendees said that even on Tuesday (Feb 15), the busiest day, only a few thousand people appeared to be at the show. Final numbers are yet to be compiled, organisers said. Still, repeat visitors such as Eric Noel, an executive at a flight training centre in Arizona, said the atmosphere was livelier than the last show in February 2020, when late exhibitor dropouts due to the emergence of COVID-19 left empty spaces and half-finished booths, giving an eerie feel to the display hall at a time of significant market uncertainty. Attendees at the show on Thursday ventured outside into the scorching midday sun to watch the final set of flying displays, including a flyby of a US B-52 bomber, a design that first flew in the 1950s. This year's show was the largest event of any kind in Singapore since the start of the pandemic, though the low turnout was a prime example of the devastating effect that strict health and border controls have had on the aviation industry over the last two years. Yet there is optimism about a reopening in Asia, with host country Singapore on Wednesday announcing an opening to quarantine travel from more countries after an initial pause when the Omicron variant emerged late last year. "People want to get back face to face because we have all figured out Zoom is fine, but it doesn't really make it happen," Domhnal Slattery, CE of aircraft lessor Avolon, said at the show. His firm on Wednesday signed a deal to lease at least 100 flying taxis to AirAsia Aviation Group, which aims to launch an air ridesharing business in Southeast Asia. With passenger travel down during the pandemic, Asian airlines have relied on the cargo market for survival, and freight was the star of the show in terms of major deals.<br/>
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/news/hot-topics/2022-02-18/general/despite-challenges-asias-aerospace-industry-plots-rebound-at-air-show
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Despite challenges, Asia's aerospace industry plots rebound at air show
As a depleted Singapore Airshow winds down, delegates reported growing optimism as the hard-hit Asian aerospace market begins to recover despite emerging concerns around labour shortages, rising costs and supply chain challenges. Organisers had estimated attendance of more than 13,000 ahead of the four-day show - still a shadow of previous years - but attendees said that even on Tuesday (Feb 15), the busiest day, only a few thousand people appeared to be at the show. Final numbers are yet to be compiled, organisers said. Still, repeat visitors such as Eric Noel, an executive at a flight training centre in Arizona, said the atmosphere was livelier than the last show in February 2020, when late exhibitor dropouts due to the emergence of COVID-19 left empty spaces and half-finished booths, giving an eerie feel to the display hall at a time of significant market uncertainty. Attendees at the show on Thursday ventured outside into the scorching midday sun to watch the final set of flying displays, including a flyby of a US B-52 bomber, a design that first flew in the 1950s. This year's show was the largest event of any kind in Singapore since the start of the pandemic, though the low turnout was a prime example of the devastating effect that strict health and border controls have had on the aviation industry over the last two years. Yet there is optimism about a reopening in Asia, with host country Singapore on Wednesday announcing an opening to quarantine travel from more countries after an initial pause when the Omicron variant emerged late last year. "People want to get back face to face because we have all figured out Zoom is fine, but it doesn't really make it happen," Domhnal Slattery, CE of aircraft lessor Avolon, said at the show. His firm on Wednesday signed a deal to lease at least 100 flying taxis to AirAsia Aviation Group, which aims to launch an air ridesharing business in Southeast Asia. With passenger travel down during the pandemic, Asian airlines have relied on the cargo market for survival, and freight was the star of the show in terms of major deals.<br/>
