Aviation
Asian Airlines Raise Baggage Allowances
BEIJING – Asia’s full-service airlines are hoping to win more customers by raising baggage allowances, a stark departure from the decadelong, world-wide practice of forcing passengers to travel light or face exorbitant fees.
At least four Asia-Pacific carriers, including Singapore Airlines Ltd. -1.25% and Malaysian Airline System -3.08% Bhd, have in recent months raised weight limits for free checked baggage on economy and premium classes by as much as 53%. The action highlights how Asia’s premium carriers are feeling the heat from fast-growing budget airlines and ultra-luxurious Middle Eastern carriers. Competition has continued to weigh on passenger yields, a key measure of airline fares.
All that added luggage weight means added cost, but it’s an expense the carriers appear willing to undertake if it gains them more passengers—and saves them from aggressive fare cuts.
“It’s not just about the cheapest seat on a flight,” said Suresh Singam, head of government and international affairs at Malaysia Airlines. “We believe there is a premium that you can charge because of the brand and value.”
Low-cost travel now accounts for a quarter of Asia’s traffic, hurting demand for full-service carriers especially in Southeast Asia, even as international passenger traffic on regional airlines remains strong, rising 5.5% in the first nine months of 2013. The fight for coach customers has become more crucial for the region’s premium airlines with the downturn in first- and business-class demand.
Illustrating the competitive landscape, around 75% of airline routes in the region are served by at least three carriers, while in Europe, some 45% of routes are served by just one or two airlines, according to the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines. The International Air Transport Association earlier cut its 2013 profit forecast for Asian-Pacific airlines by a third to $3.1 billion, representing a 23% decline from 2012, citing slowing growth in the region’s emerging markets. IATA expects only modest profit growth for the airlines next year.
“Competition keeps yields low and (profit) margins are being squeezed. Asian carriers are still finding it very tough and profitability isn’t picking up,” said Andrew Herdman, director general at the AAPA, an industry group representing 15 of the region’s full-service carriers.
Full-service airlines in the West have also endured intense competition with budget travel, causing many companies to pare back amenities to become no-frills operations themselves. In the U.S., for example, most carriers charge customers to check even one bag. In Asia, most airlines remain invested in the full-service model, though they have created budget carriers themselves to stay competitive.
“As a premium carrier, what we should do is to continue enhancing our product offerings…we won’t go the way of launching a price war,” said Austin Cheng, president of Taiwan-based full-service carrier EVA Airways Corp. -0.31% “Our core value is to provide good service.”
Last week, Singapore Airlines said it would increase its free baggage allowance in all travel classes on most routes by 10 kilograms, matching an earlier decision by premium rival Malaysia Airlines. Coach customers will be allowed to check bags weighing as much as 30 kilograms, up from 20 kilograms previously. The decision came just as the Singapore flag carrier reported further declines in passenger yields, a trend that has continued since the fiscal year ended March 2011.
China Southern Airlines Ltd. +3.58% and Australia’s Qantas Airways Ltd. +2.22% have also raised the allowances for coach customers on many routes.
In addition, airlines are making it easier for customers to earn frequent-flier miles on special discounted fares, while others are extending perks normally reserved for premium travelers to coach customers. For example, economy passengers transiting from long-haul flights on Garuda Indonesia GIAA.JK -2.02% will soon be able to relax at the airline’s lounges in Jakarta. Hot meals and wines remain complimentary on most full-service flights in Asia, and carriers continually upgrade coach seats and in-flight entertainment options.
Full-service airlines have significantly boosted flights within the region to better connect customers to their other regional and long-haul services. Malaysia Airlines added more flights on key regional markets and boosted its passenger traffic by 30% so far this year. The airline competes in its home turf against AirAsia, 5099.KU +1.62% the region’s biggest and most successful budget carrier, which earns around 17% of total revenues from ancillary income such as checked bags, food and early seat assignments.
Many premium Asian airlines also are relying on global alliances to extend their international reach and attract business travelers. Both EVA and Malaysia Airlines became alliance members earlier this year, and will soon be followed by Garuda Indonesia.
“We are not like Emirates which has deep pockets [and] can buy so many aircraft. We have a limited bank account,” said Emirsyah Satar, chief executive of Garuda, explaining his airline’s decision to join the SkyTeam alliance to expand its international footprint.
Mr. Satar said Asian carriers have an advantage over rapidly expanding Middle Eastern airlines because they are able to fly fast-growing routes using smaller planes that the Gulf carriers don’t have.
“We’ve got that market,” he said.
– WALL STREET JOURNAL
An Air Peace flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt has suffered a disruption, after the aircraft was affected by a bird strike on arrival at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
The airline made the disclosure on Thursday in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Osifo-Whiskey Efe.
He added that the incident necessitated safety checks on the affected aircraft and the deployment of another aircraft to convey passengers on subsequent flights.
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“We deeply empathise with passengers affected by this unforeseen incident and are working diligently to minimise disruptions,” Efe said.
The latest incident adds to the growing challenge of bird strikes faced by local airlines.
In December 2025, Air Peace disclosed that it recorded 49 bird strikes across Nigeria between January and September, stressing that even a single strike could ground an aircraft for weeks.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Allen Onyema, had said on Arise TV that bird strikes constituted a major operational challenge, often leading to costly repairs and serious disruptions to flight schedules.
“One bird strike could cripple your aircraft for the next month. At that moment, there is no two ways about it. These bird strikes often lead to costly delays and serious disruptions in flight schedules,” he said.
He added that losses from such incidents compound other challenges facing Nigerian airlines, including heavy taxation and operational constraints.
With the firm belief that it is both sadistic and absolutely despicable, the recently announced outrageous hike in airfares to South East from Abuja to Lagos for Yuletide of 2025 by over 131 percent by Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines, the owners have been asked to immediately have a rethink and review backward these harsh, toxic and unfriendly airfares targeting Igbo passengers exclusively.
Making the charge to the chairmen of Air Peace and United Nigeria airlines, Mr. Allen Ugochukwu and Mr. Obiora Okonkwo, the prominent civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) expressed anger that these businesses whose proprietors are Igbo by birth are fond of making it so difficult for hundreds of thousands of Igbo passengers residing outside of the South-East to travel home on Christmas festivities.
The rights group say that for many years now, because Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines are monopolies and then Igbos have the tradition exclusively in Nigeria of going home to South East from all over the globe during Yuletides, these few airlines have decidedly fixed toxic ticketing airfares for Igbos whereas northerners who also travel during their religious festivities of salah are not subjected to such exploitative treatments.
The HURIWA accused the two airlines of price fixing, which is anti-competition just as the Rights group said it is giving these two Igbo-hating airlines to review backward their toxic and discriminatory airfares within ten working days from today or it will petition the federal government publicly funding consumer rights body[Federal Competition and Consumer Rights Commission) in Abuja.
The HURIWA wonders if these Igbo owners of private airlines known for making their planes available to government for free during emergencies are in a conspiratorial plots with haters of Igbo land who are unhappy at the convivial and happy atmospheres in the South East during Yuletide, just as the rights group has appealed to Igbo governors to immediately intervene and urge Mr. Allen Ugochukwu and Mr Obiora Okonkwo to treat the Igbo just as they treat for instance northern Muslims who also migrate home to northern Nigeria from around the globe during their Muslim festivities because what is good for the goose, is good for the gander.
The HURIWA said that if Air Peace Airlines have gotten involved in many humanitarian efforts of airlifting Nigerians from outside of our shores for free, it becomes of the Airline ought not to maltreat their clients of Igbo extraction.
The HURIWA quoted from the business official website of Air Peace in which it described its latest humanitarian effort to be an addition to a growing list of interventions by Dr. Allen Onyema and Air Peace.
Quoting Air Peace website, HURIWA stated that Air Peace said thus: “In 2019, the airline airlifted 503 Nigerians free of charge from South Africa amidst xenophobic attacks. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Air Peace conducted multiple repatriation flights. In 2022, the airline flew Nigerian evacuees out of war-torn Ukraine. In May 2023, Dr. Onyema again deployed Air Peace aircraft to evacuate 277 stranded Nigerians from Sudan.
As the rescued women prepare to begin a new chapter, supported by medical care and reintegration efforts, one truth stands out: Air Peace is more than just an airline — it is a bridge of hope for Nigerians in crisis, and a national symbol of empathy, courage and service,” HURIWA conclusively quoted Air Peace.
The HURIWA therefore strongly condemns the two airlines for hiking and fixing unaffordable airfares indiscriminately against Igbo passengers, even as the festive season draws near, Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines have raised their return ticket fares to N677,000, a move that could add financial strain on travellers. The rise in airfares reflects the high demand expected during the holiday rush.
Key Points
Air Peace and United Nigeria increase return ticket fares to N677,000 for the yuletide season.
Airfares on routes to the South-East, including Enugu and Anambra, experience the highest surge.
Ibom Air offers comparatively cheaper tickets, with return fares at N381,600.
Air Peace’s one-way fare for December to January peaks at N350,500.
United Nigeria will also charge N350,500 for select routes between December 11 and the end of the year.
Northern routes, including Lagos-Kano, face smaller increases, with fares starting from N106,900.
Experts predict even higher airfares, with one-way tickets possibly reaching N500,000.
The rise in flight prices signals the start of a challenging holiday travel season, with airfares higher than usual due to increased demand. Travelers must be prepared for the surge, with some routes seeing even higher fare projections.
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The HURIWA is hereby warning the two airlines to withdraw their price fixing malpractices against Igbos or else the Rights group would seek justice and redress for the millions of Igbos who would return home for the 2025 Yuletide from the Federal Competition and Consumer Rights Commission and the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria. The HURIWA threatened to drag the two airlines to the Nigerian President through the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Transportation.
An Abuja-Accra flight experienced technical difficulties mid-air on Friday, forcing it to return to Abuja, shortly after departure.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Board (NSIB) made the disclosure in a statement, adding that it has launched investigation into what it described as a serious accident.
Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance, NSIB, Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji stated that preliminary investigations revealed the aircraft experienced an engine number two indication issue.
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It was gathered that the aircraft, with registration number 5NKAL which was operating a flight from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja (DNAA), to Kotoka International Airport, Accra (DGAA).
She explained that four persons were onboard when the incident occurred. The crew immediately requested for a diversion back to Abuja due to the engine indication.
Oladeji added that the crew managed to safely land the aircraft at Abuja Airport at 18:16 UTC.
There were no injuries reported, and all individuals on board are safe.
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