Are Asias no-frills airlines stalling?
By David Fullbrook BANGKOK – Take any seat, buy a cup of hot tea, sandwiches or even sushi to eat while reading the newspaper onboard the growing number of low-cost airlines proliferating across Europe and the United States. With or without the frills, this may be the future of budget air travel in the West. But is Asia ready for a similar aviation revolution given the region’s fragmented markets, government protection of flag carriers and diverse geographical conditions? Investors love them, analysts are gushing with praise, and pundits are declaring in chorus that Asia is poised to follow suit. Financiers, aircraft salesmen and budding airline moguls grin as they paint a bright, profitable future, but Cathay Pacific veteran Richard Stirland is not convinced. He wonders how, in Southeast Asia particularly, these carriers will fare on international routes given the paucity of domestic destinations in the region. “There is this vicious circle of international routes mainly using widebod
