AAPA: Strength in numbers and how the power of discussion can transform aviation

2024 was a year of solid growth for airlines in the Asia-Pacific region in both international air passenger and cargo markets.Asia-Pacific airlines carried a combined total of 365 million international passengers in 2024, a 30.5% increase from 2023. With a continued healthy demand across the region, 2025 is looking positive once again for Asia-Pacific carriers. 

AeroTime was recently given the opportunity to talk to Subhas Menon, Director General of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) to hear first-hand the association’s objectives, roadmapy7u for growth, and its 2025 outlook, as well as its plans to tackle challenges ahead. 

AAPA Director General Subhas MenonGrowth in membership

In a span of just three months, AAPA grew its community by welcoming three airline members: Indonesia’s Lion Air in November 2024, Qantas in January 2025, and Air New Zealand in February 2025.

Menon described Qantas and Air New Zealand’s entrance into the association as particularly “rewarding” because the carriers used to be AAPA members until around 2010. 

“It’s important for us to get them back. And there was a wide spot for us because we had no airlines from the Southwest Pacific region, and they were quite happy to return to the association,” Menon said. 

Lion Air Indonesia is also AAPA’s first budget carrier member. 

AAPA criteria for membership

AAPA airline members are required to have significant route operations in the region, and must be based in countries that follow the  International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) definition of Asia-Pacific.

The airlines must also be based within the time zones between GMT+5 and GMT+12.

Currently, the ICAO lists the following states and countries as being part of the Asia-Pacific region: 

Afghanistan

Australia

Bangladesh

Bhutan

Brunei Darussalam

Cambodia

China

Hong Kong, China

Macao, China

Cook Islands

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

Fiji

India

Indonesia 

Japan

Kiribati

Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Malaysia

Maldives

Marshall Islands

Micronesia (Federated States of)

Mongolia

Myanmar

Nauru

Nepal

New Zealand

Pakistan

Palau

Papua New Guinea

Philippines

Republic of Korea

Samoa

Singapore

Solomon Islands

Sri Lanka

Thailand

Timor Leste

Tonga

Tuvalu

Vanuatu

Vietnam
AAPA: What’s in it for the airlines? 

According to its website, AAPA acts as a “common voice” on behalf of Asia-Pacific air carriers and puts forward concerns when dealing with governments, aircraft manufacturers, airport authorities and other organisations regarding industry issues. 

Menon, who joined AAPA in March 2020 and has more than 35 years’ experience in international aviation, said that although each airline member faces its own individual issues, the challenges that the industry and airline members face are similar.

“So when you have similar challenges, it’s easier to confront these together, and also get the opportunity to share best industry practices and learn from each other,” Menon said. 

Menon also said that part of the challenge faced by  airlines in the region is regulations and policies imposed by respective governments, so AAPA acts as the middle man and the collective voice to communicate issues to agencies such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and governments on behalf of member airlines.

“We represent Asia Pacific airlines’ interests at global discourses, be it with ICAO or IATA. It takes a load off their [member airlines] shoulders, so that they can focus on bread and butter issues like competition and capacity,” Menon said, referring to the main advantage offered to airline members..

Menon added that issues faced by the association and airline members are similar across the region: safety, sustainability, supply chain issues, cross border regulations and capacity constraints. 

“Many industrial organizations today are dominated by voices from Europe and North America, so the challenges that Asia Pacific airlines face are not really sounded out by these organizations, so we take this on further to ensure there’s a global perspective,” Menon further commented.

A consistent approach

Menon has developed lobbying and negotiation skills with governments in the region during his time with various commercial carriers in the Asia Pacific prior to joining AAPA.

Taking this experience into account, Menon said that the best way to approach and deal with governments in the region is to be consistent.

AAPA Presidents Assembly 2024. AeroTimeAccording to Transparency International’s 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), governments across Asia Pacific are still failing to deliver on anti-corruption pledges amid an escalating climate crisis. 

So how does the AAPA navigate liaising with governments that are challenging, to say the least?

“Our approach is to counsel the governments, and not interfere with market forces,” he said. “Government regulations should not add burdens or penalize airlines, or distort competition. Their regulations should not favor one party over the other. So global consistency is the approach that we take.”

Consistency also applies to talks and discussions. Menon is cognizant of the fact that  some governments in the Asia Pacific region are more receptive than others, and that the key is constant communication.

“We take issues up at ICAO and IATA meetings, so the more we talk about it, the more organizations get to understand them,” he said. 

Menon also spoke about government tendencies that are prevalent in the region. 

“In Asia, there is a hierarchical relationship between the authorities and the airlines, but we [AAPA] are not an interested party,” Menon said, indicating that AAPA acts in the best interest of the airlines without holding avested interest.

Actions taken after the 2024 assembly

In November 2024, the AAPA held its 68th Assembly of Presidents in Brunei. After two days of deep discussions about collective issues in the region, the association passed three resolutions  addressing the main issues faced by the industry, namely sustainability and supply chain constraints.

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Three months after the assembly, Menon said the association is following up with governments and organizations on these resolutions.

Menon said he is currently engaging with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to address supply chain problems, as well as to accelerate the plan to develop and introduce new aircraft to reduce the carbon footprint of the industry.

Safety resolutions are being handled by AAPA Technical Director Captain Roshan Joshi, who has taken the issues up at ICAO and IATA forums, Menon added.

“We usually participate in government-sponsored consultation on new regulations,” Menon said. 

Speaking collectively about issues that the association and airline members are facing, Menon said, “this is not something that we can find a solution to immediately, but we have to start somewhere.”

An even chance of reaching 2050 sustainability goals 

Menon is aware that globally, Asia Pacific lags behind Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) development, but he also knows SAF should not be the sole solution.

“Attaining aviation sustainability is not an easy task. We rely on fuel, and we rely on the atmosphere, so we have all the markings of a big emitter. However, at the end of the day aviation carbon footprint only makes up 2.5% of global emission,” Menon said. 

Menon credits the low carbon footprint percentage to factors such assuch as the development of fuel-efficient aircraft, improved load factors, and aerodynamic efficiency to reduce fuel usage. 

He believes that these individual efforts can be as good as sourcing SAF in the region.

“So that gives us hope that if we focus on fuel efficiency and technology, then we have a fairly even chance of reaching the goal by 2050,” Menon added.

“If we put all our eggs in one basket and rely solely on SAF, then it’s going to be very difficult,” he said. “So we have to use all the levers within our disposal, especially something that we have a core competence for, which is technology.”The post AAPA: Strength in numbers and how the power of discussion can transform aviation appeared first on AeroTime.

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