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Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on aviation, with a particular focus on the industry in Hong Kong, mainland China and Asia.
Japan’s H3 rocket carrying the Michibiki No 5 satellite lifts off from the Tanegashima Space Centre on Monday. Photo: Kyodo/Reuters
Japan

Can Japan’s space industry regain thrust after H3 rocket failure?

Failure is inevitable, aerospace experts say, so Japan needs to be less afraid of making mistakes and move on.

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Hong Kong economy

Editorial | Plane recycling opens new horizons for Hong Kong aviation

China’s C919 passenger plane

Soaring to the top: China appoints first female captain for C919 flights

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Extreme weather

US airlines cancel more than 1,000 flights due to winter storm Devin

An additional 4,685 flights faced delays in the northeast as the National Weather Service warned of heavy snow and ‘hazardous conditions’.

The control tower at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. Heavy snowfall is expected to disrupt air travel in the northeast of the United States. Photo: EPA
China’s C919 passenger plane

China’s Comac to team up with China Eastern for bigger C919 variant, sources say

Comac’s stretched model, expected to be dubbed the C919-800, could target lucrative Asian routes and seat more than 200 passengers.

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India

Duopoly of Air India, IndiGo to face challenge from 2 new airlines

The approval for Al Hind Air and FlyExpress to operate in India comes amid mounting calls to challenge the dominance of Air India and IndiGo.

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Singapore

Business class thief jailed after targeting Singapore Airlines passengers

The prosecution said Chinese national Liu Ming’s act was financed by a criminal syndicate.

A passenger was jailed for 20 months after stealing luggage on a Singapore Airlines flight. Photo: AFP
China's military weapons

‘Saturation attacks’: drone swarms key for wartime victory, PLA Daily says

Concentrated UAV swarms seen to allow ‘optimal combat effectiveness with minimal battlefield expenditure’.

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Taiwan

F-16V fighter jet tested as Taiwan presses US and Lockheed Martin for delivery

Taiwan’s air force says it is pushing US side on production speed and quality control amid mounting scrutiny from lawmakers over delays.

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China-Japan relations

China-Japan tension hits holiday travel as flights cancelled on 46 routes

All cancelled flights are operated by Chinese carriers and involve most of the country’s major airlines.

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Visitors take photos against the backdrop of Japan’s Mount Fuji. Tensions have been high between China and Japan since November. Photo: AFP
Low-altitude economy

China’s ‘black flying’ drone dilemma: when tech clashes with aviation safety

Videos posted online have shown drones climbing above 8,000 metres, dangerously close to passenger aircraft.

A drone flies over the Khumbu Icefall on the Nepali side of Mount Everest in April last year. Photo: Xinhua
United States

US government admits liability in fatal Washington helicopter-plane crash

US government admits ‘breach of care’ as DOJ cites Army and FAA errors in January crash that killed 67 near Ronald Reagan airport in Washington.

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Cathay Pacific

Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific investigates wrong taxiway use at Manila airport

Carrier says it is cooperating with local authorities in probe into incident, which led to delays for two incoming planes.

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong to become Asia’s leading aircraft recycling hub, John Lee vows

City leader says opening of Aircraft Engineering Training Centre is ‘major step’, adds hub will create ‘better-paid and high-skill jobs’.

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The training centre’s inaugural programme will cover cabin integration, with courses on aircraft wiring fitting, system mechanics and quality inspection to be introduced in the second half of 2026. Photo: Jonathan Wong
China-Japan relations

Chinese tourist arrivals to Japan lose momentum amid tensions: official data

Mainland visitor numbers rose just 3% in November after flight cuts and travel warnings took effect as diplomatic strains escalated.

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Mainland Chinese tourists visit Sensoji temple in the Asakusa district of Tokyo on Thursday Photo: AP
China's military weapons

China’s latest stealth endurance drone, CH-7, completes maiden flight

Designer says UAV can quickly penetrate target areas for reconnaissance and rely on stealth to send information from battle front lines.

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Mainland China

China-led Asia-Pacific lifts global aviation outlook as profits set to soar

Passenger demand from China and India, eased visa rules and freight resilience drive growth as IATA forecasts record airline profits in 2026.

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European Union

Belarus agrees to stop balloon flights into Lithuania amid hybrid attack fears

The incidents have caused over a dozen closures of Vilnius airport in recent months, prompting Lithuania to declare a state of emergency.

An undated image shows an officer inspecting a balloon used to smuggle cigarettes into Lithuania. Photo: State Border Guard Service via AP
China consumption

‘A violation’? China’s airlines in the hot seat over hidden extra fees

Seat selection fees are becoming more common in China as airlines grapple with squeezed profit margins, but consumers are pushing back.

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China's military weapons

China’s drone carrier Jiu Tian takes flight to signal PLA swarm capacity boost

Xinhua hails ‘breakthrough in China’s large drone technology’, says Jiu Tian could also be deployed in wide range of civilian applications.

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Cathay Pacific

Hong Kong police arrest man over trying to open plane door on Cathay flight

Police officers board aircraft after it safely landed at Hong Kong airport, arrest man for allegedly violating Aviation Security Ordinance.

Cathay has said no crew members or passengers were injured in the incident. Photo: Sam Tsang
India

IndiGo flight chaos exposes risks of India’s aviation duopoly

India’s largest airline grounded nearly 3,000 flights last week, showing how easily a staffing crunch at one carrier can paralyse the sector.

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IndiGo employees tag stranded bags belonging to the airline’s passengers at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Monday following large-scale flight disruptions. Photo: Reuters
Russia

Crew killed in Russian military plane crash during test flight

State media reported seven people were on board at the time of the crash.

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong signs aviation deals with 7 countries to expand global reach

Transport chief Mable Chan says deals reached with mostly Latin American nations, while Airport Authority CEO calls for more investment to manage risks.

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Science

Chinese team reports way to extract hypersonic weapon fuel boron from seawater

Inspired by ‘novel sustainable technology’ research, the team designs a single, powerful system using solar energy for extraction.

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Scramjet engines are among the technologies requiring boron. Chinese scientists say they have developed a method to extract boron from seawater. Photo: Getty Images
Britain

UK police probe Heathrow pepper spray attack linked to suitcase robbery

Chaotic chain of events caused several hours of delays for passengers trying to get to and from the airport.

Armed officers respond at Heathrow Airport on Sunday, as seen through a car windscreen. Photo: Tom Bate via Reuters
India

India regulator faults airline CEO amid severe disruption

IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers has been ordered to explain the cancellations that affected almost half of its flights.

India

India caps airfares as IndiGo crisis hits 5th day, stranding hundreds

IndiGo’s spate of cancellations has prompted fare increases on flights operated by other airlines on popular routes.

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