Last October the World Route Development Forum in Kuala Lumpur could not have come at a more uncertain time. The industry was only just recovering from the impact of rocketing fuel priceswhen the financial crisis hit. While network planners met in Malaysia, governments were determining their rescue plans to keep the financial system from complete collapse.

While the depth of the crisis and its impact on air travel has since proved every bit as challenging as feared, Routes chairman Mike Howarth notes the industry meets this time around in Beijing with a feeling of, at the very least, stabilisation."If we'd been holding the forum in say February, people would still be trying to cope with the crisis," he says. But with more encouraging economic indicators emerginghe notes: "Now there is a feeling there is an upturn [not far away]."

He says this year's show will be bigger than the 2008 gathering in Kuala Lumpur, itself the largest Routes event thus far. Despite a host of airline collapses over the last 18 months, more than 200 airlines will be in Beijing.

"Routes has proved its resilience," says Howarth. "People can see why it is needed in the tough times as much as in the good times. Virtually every airline has reviewed its network. As much new route activity might not be happening, but route development activity is at an all-time high. Route developers have probably never been so busy."

This year marks the first World Routes event in China, bringing arecord participation among Chinese carriers. "In hindsight it was a very good year to go to China. They have suffered like everyone else, but the feeling we get is it's a very buoyant sector now."

STRONGER TOURISM PRESENCE

Howarth believes one trend resulting from the crisis is an increased role in route development from tourism authorities, reflecting a similar evolution to that which more than a decade ago saw airports getting more involved in the route development process.

"There's an increased number of tourism authorities at Routes this year," he says. Howarth believes route development has particularly moved up the agenda of tourism authorities in those countries and regions highly dependent on tourism for income and which may have lost crucial air services in the last year. "They are now about moving up the supply chain," he says.

 ROUTES PROGRAMME: SUNDAY
  • 10:00-14:00: Dragon Boat Race, Shunyi Olympic Rowing Park
  • 13:30: Registration and Diary Advice Desk open
  • 13.30: Hosted Networking Stands: Networking village
  • 14:00-16:30: Tourism and Air Services Summit, Garden room west
  • 14:30-16:30: The Importance of Airline Alliances
  • 15:30-16:30: Routesonline Party, Networking village
  • 16:30-18:30: Welcome reception (hosted by BCIA/CAH) Networking village

Howarth also points to further signs of increased interest among airlines at this year's Routes in having their own airline chalets. He points to a number of carriers which have taken chalets this year, including the four major Chinese carriers. Airlines are looking to bring bigger teams to the event, Howarth says, for example noting interest in procurement managers for airlines attending to meet with their airport partners.

"The whole industry is changing and you can see that at Routes," he says. Howarth is optimistic that despite the continued challenges, the mood of the industry will not remainin the doldrums for long. "One of the things about the air transport industry is it bounces back incredibly quickly. It doesn't take very much to increase optimism."

 

 

Source: Flight Daily News