Renowned Airlines of Asia
Jet off in style
From weekend getaways to long expeditions, travelling brings you closer to the world. A good journey serves as a great precursor to a vacation or business trip, and the top picks in our airline category will ensure that you are well taken care of.
ISTANBUL, TURKEY Turkish Airlines
With Turkey’s position at the crossroads between East and West, the country’s national flag carrier, Turkish Airlines, flies to more countries as well as provides more non-stop flights than any other airline. While it isn’t considered large in terms of number of passengers, it is the largest carrier in the world by number of passenger destinations – some 315 in August 2019. The airline has sponsored several football clubs and athletes, and even partnered with Warner Bros in 2016 to sponsor the film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
TOKYO, JAPAN All Nippon Airways
Named Airline of the Year by Air Transport World in 2007 and a 5-star airline by Skytrax in 2013, All Nippon Airways (ANA) started competing as an international carrier in 1986 after decades serving the domestic market. It was commended by Flight on time .info as the most punctual scheduled airline from 2003 to 2006. ANA’S special liveries have delighted travellers over the years, especially its Star Wars- and Pokémon- themed jets. The airline has also sponsored various pop-culture projects such as the Japanese film Happy Flight and Japanese television drama Good Luck!!
HONG KONG Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific was born when American and Australian ex-air Force pilots Roy Farrell and Sydney de Kantzow obtained a licence to transport goods from Australia into post-war China in 1946. It was named as such because “Cathay” was the medieval name of China, derived from “Khitan”, and Farrell believed that they would one day fly across the Pacific. Almost 30 years later, the name finally made sense when the airline made the voyage, and today its fleet serves more than 90 destinations in countries across Asia, the Pacific, Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa.
BANGKOK, THAILAND Thai Airways
Starting as a joint venture between Thailand’s former domestic carrier, Thai Airways Company, and Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways has matured into one of the most respected and awarded airlines in the world. It was once the operator of two of the world’s longest non- stop flights, from Bangkok to Los Angeles and to New York City, before high fuel prices and luggage weight limits resulted in long-haul services to America being discontinued. In 2011, Thai Airways was the first carrier in Asia to fly commercial flights using biofuels.
ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN Air Astana
Established in 2001, Air Astana commenced its first commercial operations in 2002, leasing its first three Boeing 737s. By 2012, the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation had recognised Air Astana as having “performed better in its first decade than just about any other start-up carrier”. Dedicated to its mission to be one of the finest airlines in the world, Air Astana has enjoyed multiple industry awards, with Skytrax identifying the operator as the “Best Airline in Central Asia and India” since 2011.
ABU DHABI, UAE Etihad
Etihad Airways is the second-largest airline in the United Arab Emirates, after Emirates. The airline was established in 2003 following a Royal Decree issued by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Emir of Abu Dhabi, who wanted an airline for the capital. In 2008, at the UK’S Farnborough Airshow, Emirates declared that it had made the largest aircraft order in commercial aviation history. Its soaring success has allowed the airline to sponsor sports teams like Manchester City football club and the Mumbai Indians cricket team.