Inside Asian Gaming

inside asian gaming November 2017 42 Keen observations not on group travel but the individual traveller, and it is now China’s largest private sector travel agency also. Like Ryanair, Spring’s flights are usually less than four hours in duration. Another similarity to Ryanair is the use of secondary regional airports. Yet its strategy is vastly different. In places like Japan, despite competition, the company’s plan is to pursue a strategy that ensures its crews and passengers remain loyal, recognizing that tremendous opportunities for growth still remain in the short haul market. Perhaps the most outstanding case of an airline falling from grace and ditching this year is the case of Monarch Airlines in the UK. In early October, Monarch abruptly ceased operations, causing over 300,000 passengers to lose their reservations and forcing the Civil Aviation Authority to rescue 110,000 vacationers who were overseas with no return flight alternatives arranged by Monarch. The CAA had to charter 34 aircraft to abandoned travellers. I’m reminded that this massive reparation exercise looks a lot like Dunkirk Part 2! Despite more than 2,750 Monarch employees losing their jobs, the welcome news is that other carriers may at least be able to pick up some of those staff to fill vacancies. Earlier this year, Alitalia and Air Berlin also went into administration. Perhaps it’s time to study the budget airlines based in Asia for lessons in product differentiation, leadership and business from companies like VietJet whose bikini-clad flight attendants have helped drive the company stock higher than the national carrier. Other companies such as easyJet and Spring Airlines also offer lessons in growth strategy with easyJet now planning a push into mainland China. China’s Spring Airlines has enjoyed five years of continued growth “Like Ryanair, Spring’s flights are usually less than four hours in duration. Another similarity to Ryanair is the use of secondary regional airports. Yet its strategy is vastly different.”