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Latest news, in-depth features and opinion on aviation, with a particular focus on the industry in Hong Kong, mainland China and Asia.

The wreckage of a commercial airplane that collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter in Washington in January. Photo: United States Coast Guard/EPA-EFE

US government admits liability in fatal Washington helicopter-plane crash

US government admits ‘breach of care’ as DOJ cites Army and FAA errors in January crash that killed 67 near Ronald Reagan airport in Washington.

18 Dec 2025 - 10:28PMvideocam

Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific investigates wrong taxiway use at Manila airport

18 Dec 2025 - 10:43PM

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong to become Asia’s leading aircraft recycling hub, John Lee vows

18 Dec 2025 - 6:18PM

China-Japan relations

Chinese tourist arrivals to Japan lose momentum amid tensions: official data

Mainland visitor numbers rose just 3% in November after flight cuts and travel warnings took effect as diplomatic strains escalated.

18 Dec 2025 - 9:14AMvideocam

Mainland Chinese tourists visit Sensoji temple in the Asakusa district of Tokyo on Thursday Photo: AP

China's military weapons

China’s latest stealth endurance drone, CH-7, completes maiden flight

Designer says UAV can quickly penetrate target areas for reconnaissance and rely on stealth to send information from battle front lines.

15 Dec 2025 - 11:26PMvideocam

China-led Asia-Pacific lifts global aviation outlook as profits set to soar

Passenger demand from China and India, eased visa rules and freight resilience drive growth as IATA forecasts record airline profits in 2026.

15 Dec 2025 - 8:05PM

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Belarus agrees to stop balloon flights into Lithuania amid hybrid attack fears

The incidents have caused over a dozen closures of Vilnius airport in recent months, prompting Lithuania to declare a state of emergency.

14 Dec 2025 - 2:24AM

An undated image shows an officer inspecting a balloon used to smuggle cigarettes into Lithuania. Photo: State Border Guard Service via AP

China consumption

‘A violation’? China’s airlines in the hot seat over hidden extra fees

Seat selection fees are becoming more common in China as airlines grapple with squeezed profit margins, but consumers are pushing back.

13 Dec 2025 - 6:00PMvideocam

China's military weapons

China’s drone carrier Jiu Tian takes flight to signal PLA swarm capacity boost

Xinhua hails ‘breakthrough in China’s large drone technology’, says Jiu Tian could also be deployed in wide range of civilian applications.

11 Dec 2025 - 9:51PMvideocam

Hong Kong police arrest man over trying to open plane door on Cathay flight

Police officers board aircraft after it safely landed at Hong Kong airport, arrest man for allegedly violating Aviation Security Ordinance.

11 Dec 2025 - 7:58PM

Cathay has said no crew members or passengers were injured in the incident. Photo: Sam Tsang

IndiGo flight chaos exposes risks of India’s aviation duopoly

India’s largest airline grounded nearly 3,000 flights last week, showing how easily a staffing crunch at one carrier can paralyse the sector.

10 Dec 2025 - 3:22PMvideocam

IndiGo employees tag stranded bags belonging to the airline’s passengers at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Monday following large-scale flight disruptions. Photo: Reuters

Crew killed in Russian military plane crash during test flight

State media reported seven people were on board at the time of the crash.

9 Dec 2025 - 11:26PM

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong signs aviation deals with 7 countries to expand global reach

Transport chief Mable Chan says deals reached with mostly Latin American nations, while Airport Authority CEO calls for more investment to manage risks.

9 Dec 2025 - 8:06PM

Chinese team reports way to extract hypersonic weapon fuel boron from seawater

Inspired by ‘novel sustainable technology’ research, the team designs a single, powerful system using solar energy for extraction.

8 Dec 2025 - 10:00PMvideocam

Scramjet engines are among the technologies requiring boron. Chinese scientists say they have developed a method to extract boron from seawater. Photo: Getty Images

UK police probe Heathrow pepper spray attack linked to suitcase robbery

Chaotic chain of events caused several hours of delays for passengers trying to get to and from the airport.

8 Dec 2025 - 11:51AM

Armed officers respond at Heathrow Airport on Sunday, as seen through a car windscreen. Photo: Tom Bate via Reuters

India regulator faults airline CEO amid severe disruption

IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers has been ordered to explain the cancellations that affected almost half of its flights.

7 Dec 2025 - 7:28PM

India caps airfares as IndiGo crisis hits 5th day, stranding hundreds

IndiGo’s spate of cancellations has prompted fare increases on flights operated by other airlines on popular routes.

6 Dec 2025 - 6:25PM

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China airliners

A Chinese home-grown business jet is on the way. Will it rival Gulfstream?

China’s state-owned aircraft maker is stepping up efforts to break into the business jet market with its CBJ model.

6 Dec 2025 - 11:00AMvideocam

The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) showcases its CBJ private jet at an exhibition in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou in October. Photo: Weibo

6 lush coffee table books to gift the watch lover in your life

These tomes tell of timepieces owned by powerful women like Elizabeth Taylor and hip-hop stars such as Busta Rhymes, to iconic pilot watches from the Cartier Santos to the Omega Speedmaster.

6 Dec 2025 - 6:00AM

Video | Travel chaos in India after over 1,200 flights cancelled

IndiGo attributed the chaos to a combination of operational and weather-related challenges.

5 Dec 2025 - 7:15PMvideocam

Opinion | Why Gulf region’s dreams of aviation domination are built on sand

While Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Istanbul’s plans are already aggressively ambitious, Saudi Arabia’s extravagant vision seems like something from fantasyland.

5 Dec 2025 - 4:30PM

A plane prepares for take-off at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on March 05, 2023.

‘Complete mayhem’: chaos after India’s largest airline cancels 1,200 flights

IndiGo blamed the disruption on ‘unforeseen operational challenges’ including technical glitches, adverse weather and new rules for workers.

4 Dec 2025 - 7:24PM

A man looks at a screen displaying delayed IndiGo Airlines flights at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters

‘We side with Indonesia’: ex-minister rejects claims of China bias

Luhut Pandjaitan says China’s technological prowess and deep pockets made it an ideal partner for propelling Indonesia’s economy.

3 Dec 2025 - 7:29PM

Search for Malaysia’s MH370 resumes in Indian Ocean after more than a decade

US-based Ocean Infinity confirmed it would recommence intermittent seabed search operations for 55 days from December 30.

3 Dec 2025 - 6:12PM

Air India probed for flying plane without valid safety certificate

India’s aviation regulator said it was investigating the carrier after it operated eight flights without a valid airworthiness certificate.

2 Dec 2025 - 9:58PMvideocam

An Air India Airbus A320 aircraft approaching Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal. Photo: Getty Images

1,900 China-Japan flights cancelled in December as political row continues

Airlines have now scrapped over 40 per cent of their China-Japan flights scheduled for this month amid a diplomatic spat over Taiwan.

2 Dec 2025 - 5:33PMvideocam

Chinese airlines have cancelled large numbers of flights to Japan amid a political dispute over Taiwan. Photo: Shutterstock

AirAsia boss says ‘bizarre’ Airbus glitch a ‘good warning’ to industry

Tony Fernandes urged planemakers to test software properly and not to ‘rush’ amid the pressure to meet delivery and revenue targets.

2 Dec 2025 - 2:55PMvideocam

Americas and the Caribbean

Venezuela airspace should be considered ‘closed in its entirety’, Trump says

The South American nation slammed the US president’s ‘colonialist threat’, and said his comments were incompatible with international law.

30 Nov 2025 - 1:57PM

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