KUALA LUMPUR, 6 October 2026: International passenger traffic remained soft as some airlines further rationalised capacity due to elevated jet fuel prices and airspace restrictions linked to the Middle East conflict, according to preliminary August 2026 traffic figures released last week by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines. 

Higher airfares also weighed on regional demand, while long-haul traffic remained relatively resilient, including on Asia–Europe routes.

Overall, Asia Pacific airlines carried 33.5 million international passengers in August, down 0.6% from a year earlier. Passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), rose by 1.8% year-on-year. Capacity, measured in available seat kilometres, increased by 1.5%, lifting the average international passenger load factor by 0.2 percentage points to 83.2%.

Meanwhile, air cargo markets continued to benefit from rising export activity and brisk demand for AI-related goods. However, e-commerce shipments to Europe weakened after charges were introduced on small parcels. International air cargo demand, measured in freight tonne kilometres (FTK), grew 1.1% year-on-year, while offered freight capacity expanded 1.6%. As a result, the average international freight load factor fell by 0.3 percentage points to 59.3% for the month.

Commenting on the results, AAPA Director General Wong Hong said: “Traffic growth has moderated in recent months, but the picture remains broadly positive. Asia Pacific airlines carried 259.3 million international passengers in the first eight months of the year, up 2.1% from the same period last year. International air cargo demand rose by a strong 5.5% over the same period.”

Wong Hong added: “Despite the year-to-date growth in traffic, the operating environment remains challenging. Elevated jet fuel prices, airspace restrictions and weaker Asian currencies are raising costs, while higher fares weigh on price-sensitive travellers. These factors continue to affect profitability, with outcomes varying across individual airlines.”

Looking ahead, he noted: “Regional economic growth and trade activity should continue to support demand for air travel and cargo, although growth is likely to remain uneven across markets. Geopolitical developments and changes in trade policies add some uncertainty to the outlook for the remainder of the year.”

(Source: AAPA)

SINGAPORE, 6 October 2026: Air Astana will launch direct flights between Almaty and Tokyo, with the inaugural service departing Almaty on 30 November 2026 and the first return flight from Tokyo on 1 December 2026.

“The launch of direct air services to Japan is a key priority and supports our ambition to strengthen Kazakhstan’s leadership as the hub of Central Asia and the Caucasus,” said Air Astana CEO Ibrahim Canliel.

“Tokyo, our 22nd new route in 2026, is one of the world’s leading centres for business and tourism, and the new service, operated by Airbus A321LR aircraft, will provide a significant boost to trade, economic and cultural ties between Kazakhstan and Japan.” 

Flights will operate twice weekly to Tokyo Narita International Airport using Airbus A321LR aircraft configured with business and economy class cabins.

Flight schedule (local times, subject to government approval)

KC171: Almaty–Tokyo will operate on Mondays and Thursdays, departing Almaty at 2155 and arriving in Tokyo at 0925 the following day.
KC172: Tokyo–Almaty will operate on Tuesdays and Fridays, departing Tokyo at 1055 and arriving in Almaty at 1620.

Building on the existing partnership between Air Astana and Japan Airlines, the flights between Tokyo Narita and Almaty will operate as codeshares.

Return fares start at USD797 in economy class and USD3,177 in business class, inclusive of all taxes and charges. Tickets are available for booking on the airline’s website, through its mobile app or accredited travel agents.

Japanese citizens can travel to Kazakhstan visa-free for stays of up to 30 days. Kazakhstan citizens require a visa to travel to Japan.

(Source: Air Astana)

SINGAPORE, 6 October 2026: Dohop, a travel technology company, has announced a partnership with Tigerair Taiwan to deploy the Dohop-powered Tigerhop platform, live on the airline’s retail channels. 

Through the initial partnership with Scoot, Singapore Airlines’ low-cost subsidiary, Tigerair Taiwan customers will have more options for travel within Asia, specifically across North Asia routes and new connections to Singapore, all bookable in a single transaction.

Tigerhop, powered by Dohop’s RetailConnect platform, allows Tigerair Taiwan to sell multi-carrier journeys that combine its own flights with onward services operated by partner airlines. 

At launch, Tigerhop will offer connections from Taipei and Da Nang to Singapore via Scoot, and travellers departing from Singapore can transfer at Taoyuan International Airport to other destinations, including Akita, Hanamaki, and Tottori.

“Tigerair Taiwan demonstrates how airlines can use Connected Travel to expand their network without the cost and complexity of bilateral interlining,” said Dohop Chief Operating Officer Hugh Aitken. “Launching Tigerhop with Scoot gives Taiwanese travellers access to more destinations through Tigerair Taiwan’s own channels, while enabling the airline to capture bookings that might otherwise go to OTAs. With additional carriers joining the platform in the coming months, Tigerhop also marks an important expansion of Dohop’s presence in Asia.”

For Tigerair Taiwan, the partnership adds connections with other carriers without complex interline or codeshare agreements, expanding its commercial reach with minimal technical investment. By selling these itineraries through Tigerhop under its own brand, the airline can compete more effectively with online travel agents while giving passengers access to Dohop’s ConnectSure disruption support and travel protection services.

“Working with Dohop, we can grow our international reach without traditional interline structures while maintaining our brand promise to our passengers,” said Tigerair Taiwan Chairperson Joyce Huang. “We look forward to partnering with new carriers and expanding our coverage in the APAC region through Dohop’s technology.”

The Tigerair Taiwan launch extends Dohop’s presence across Asia, where its platforms are already live for Scoot, Thai Vietjet, Citilink and Air India Express, with others in development. 

About Dohop 
Dohop enables connected journeys from booking through arrival, combining flights and travel segments from multiple airlines and travel providers into a single trip supported by disruption handling, travel protection, and baggage transfer. More than 100 airlines and travel partners, including Air France, Air Transat, easyJet, Scoot, Vueling and Wizz Air, use Dohop’s Connected Travel platform to create, sell, and support multi-carrier journeys without traditional interline agreements.

About Tigerair Taiwan
Tigerair Taiwan launched its first route in 2014. As Taiwan’s first and only low-cost carrier (LCC), it operates routes across Asia (around 600 monthly departure flights) from its home base at Taoyuan International Airport.

(Source: Dohop)