Demand for charter flights in Asia has grown significantly from the first quarter of 2012 through the first quarter of 2013, according to online charter marketplace Avinode (Booth H308). The number of available aircraft in the Asia region has climbed nearly 50 percent during that time period. “This marks a significant upturn from the 5-percent growth recorded over the previous year,” the company said.

During that same period, Avinode has seen requests for flights to and from Asian airports (ICAO codes beginning with the letter R, V, W and Z) up more than 50 percent, with requested departures up nearly 20 percent.

For flights into Asia, three of the top five departure locations are from European airports, including Vnukovo in Moscow (first), London Luton (third) and St. Petersburg Pulkovo (fourth). Of the Asian market requests, half are for flights within the region, according to Avinode. First- and second-place destination airports in Asia could be considered leisure-focused (Male in the Maldives and Phuket, Thailand). The other three are Beijing, Hong Kong and New Delhi.

Accoring to Avinode, “This data seems to indicate that while demand for business-related travel into the region is on the rise, most private charter travelers, particularly those from Europe, are heading into the region for more leisure-oriented pursuits.”

“We’ve seen a remarkable increase in interest from Asian operators and brokers since our ABACE debut last year,” said Gustav Andreasen, Avinode’s regional sales manager. –M.T.