Ep 81: The Current State of Airlines in ASEAN, with Brendan Sobie

Listen to this episode

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Google

Podbean

View All Episodes

About This Episode

7 Jul 2021 • 37m00s

Airlines have felt the brunt of the collapse of international travel in South East Asia since borders were closed in March 2020. This week, Gary and Hannah talk all things aviation and airlines with Singapore-based Brendan Sobie, founder of Sobie Aviation.

We discuss the varying challenges facing flag carriers in South East Asia, including Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Thai Airways, Garuda Indonesia and Philippine Airlines.

Also, how can LCCs manage to survive if an international travel recovery doesn’t occur any time soon? Against this backdrop, new airlines are making applications to operate, so could the aviation market in Asia Pacific look very different in the coming years?

Plus, we talk about the new EU-ASEAN Air Transport Agreement and compare the 2021 outlook for long-haul and short-haul markets.

Finally, we assess whether the Phuket Sandbox - and the phased reopening of Thailand - presents a viable model for other countries to welcome back vaccinated leisure travellers.

Show Notes

Sobie Aviation here.

Find Brendan on LinkedIn here.

« Next Episode Ep 82: 2021: The Year So Far in ASEAN - Top 20 Talking Points Previous Episode » Ep 80: June in Review: Delta Variant Derails Tourism Planning

View All Episodes

Latest Episodes Catch up with the pods you may have missed

Play

3 Jul 2026 • 22m17s

Ep 310: Vietnam's Airlines Expand at Warp Speed, Bangkok Rides the Mega-Wellness Wave & Durian Tourism Ambassadors in Malaysia: June 2026 in Review

“They are not happy with just Vietnam, just Thailand - now they are going after Australia!” The scale of ambition and speed of commercial aggression shown by Vietnamese airlines is a stand-out feature of 2026, and there is no sign of a slowdown. On our monthly round-up of the top travel and tourism talking points in South East Asia and beyond in June, Gary and Hannah look at how airline strategies are shifting in ASEAN, Asia, Australia and the Middle East East - and the new threads tying them together.

Play

25 Jun 2026 • 22m48s

Ep 309: Vietnam's Great Airport Race, Cambodia Hedges its China Bets & Robotic Wellness Zen in Singapore

“Robotic lockers and ozone-based water filtration systems.” Gary and Hannah examine recent travel and tourism developments across ASEAN, featuring stops in Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia. Key topics include Brunei’s largest year-long tourism promotion planned for 2027 (previewed at Travel Meet Asia in Jakarta), mixed signals from airlines AirAsia and AirBornie regarding fares, Vietnam’s military involvement in ensuring Long Thanh International Airport opens before year’s end, Cambodia’s four-month visa-free policy for Chinese tourists, and Singapore’s new wellness megaproject that has begun construction.