Thai AirAsia, Thai Lion Air extend flight suspensions

Iran's Qeshm Airlines eyes Japan flights

Private equity acquires stake in Thailand's Asia Aviation

North Haven Thai Private Equity has acquired 214,285,714 Asia Aviation Capital shares after debentures were converted to common shares. In a December 15 Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) filing, Asia Aviation (AAV) said the inclusion of the additional listed shares would take the number of common shares in the company on issue to 11,949,999,999. Asia Aviation Capital is the parent firm of Thai AirAsia (FD, Bangkok Don Mueang).

Bangkok-headquartered Asia Aviation is a wholly owned subsidiary of the AirAsia Group. North Haven Thai Private Equity is a buyout fund managed by Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia and Bangkok Bank and describes itself as "a generalist private equity fund with an initial 10-year term targeting mid-market companies." This week's share allocation alone comfortably vaults North Haven into the top ten Asia Aviation shareholder ranks. North Haven purchased the 12-month zero coupon convertible debentures No. 1/2021 at a cost of USD63.4 million.

With a published par value of THB10 baht (USD0.29 dollars) per share, Asia Aviation's share capitalisation now stands just under THB1.195 billion (USD34.1 million)....

Thai carriers bemoan lengthy aircraft deregistration process

AirAsia to launch Cambodian JV in 2023

Capital A (formerly AirAsia Group), the parent holding of AirAsia (AK, Kuala Lumpur International), says its subsidiary AirAsia Aviation Group has entered into a 51/49 joint venture with hospitality group Sivilai Asia to launch AirAsia Cambodia (Phnom Penh).

The two companies said that subject to regulatory approvals and certification, the new LCC should launch in the second half of 2023. Capital A Chief Executive Tony Fernandes told Bloomberg that AirAsia Cambodia would launch with two aircraft, most likely A321-200Ns, and later expand to as many as 15.

"2022 was about restarting our airline to pre-COVID levels. That machine is in place and will be completed by the second quarter of 2023. The second half of 2023 will be when we focus on our continued efforts in growth. We are confident of profitability in the first year. As Cambodia is a market that is familiar to us and where we have deep infrastructure in place," he said.

In a Bursa Malaysia disclosure, Capital A clarified that the initial capital...