Demand for private jet services in Singapore on the rise

SINGAPORE: The private plane marketplace in Singapore has taken off, surpassing levels seen before the COVID-19 crisis, with business insiders citing the government’s business gateway status as a key driver of such growth.

According to non-public information that New York-based Alton Aviation Consultancy shared with CNA, the need for private flight vacation in Singapore has increased by about 30 % from pre-COVID levels. Business flight departures from Changi and Seletar flights alone are the highest number. &nbsp,

The information compares information from the 2024 calendar year to the 2019 one.

According to most recently applicable information from the consulting business Asian Sky Group, the number of private jet based in Singapore increased from 66 at the end of 2022 to 74 at the end of 2023. &nbsp,

In contrast, there were 45 jet based in Malaysia, 56 in Indonesia and 41 in Thailand at the end of 2023.

According to Asian Sky’s media and publications producer Alud Davies, the firm views an aircraft as having a base if its most lively flying location occurs at that airport.

Although it is unknown how many ascents and crossings private jets have in Singapore, Mr. Davies said his staff keeps an eye on aircraft entering and leaving the area.

Our team of researchers “has a good understanding of what plane are based where,” he claimed. &nbsp,

Personal jet can either be owned by individuals or chartered out to customers by charter companies for business, health, or leisure purposes. &nbsp,

In Singapore, five aircraft charter companies CNA spoke to even reported growing demand. Despite the fact that the majority of the companies acknowledged that journey actions slowed slightly in 2024, some of them have grown their fleets.

The secret market was” tremendously bigger than before COVID,” according to Air Charter Service’s Singapore office, with significant growth over the past three decades. &nbsp,

In 2024, according to its director for private planes, Brendan Toomey, the company conducted 35 % more flights in and out of Singapore than it did in 2021. There was also a “huge wave” in aviation laws in 2022 and 2023 due to the post-COVID go boom.

Mr. Toomey added that the company then offers” a little more option” for customers with over 40 % more charter aircraft than it did in 2021.

Flights and crossings in Singapore increased by more than 50 % between 2022 and 2023, according to personal aircraft management and contract firm TAG Aviation Asia.

Flight hours increased by 44 % between 2022 and 2023, according to private jet charter company VistaJet, which saw growth of 31 % between 2022 and 2023 for flights to and from Singapore.

In a more unexpected way, the Amber Aviation company reported a 77 % increase in the number of airlines arriving and departing from Singapore in 2023, as opposed to 2022. &nbsp,

Air 7 Asia, an aeroplane management company, purchased a aircraft at Seletar Airport in 2023 to keep its fleet of seven aircraft running, away from its current fleet of just one, which was only one four years ago.

Singapore’s business aviation Asia Forum and Expo, which will feature a stable show of private jet in March, is set to take place at the country’s first always Business Aviation Asia Forum and Expo in Changi Exhibition Centre. &nbsp,

Business aviation refers to private jet or other non-commercial civil aircraft that are used to transport people or groups for company purposes. &nbsp,

Mr Leck Chet Lam, managing chairman of event planner Experia Activities, said Singapore was the “perfect place” for the exhibition, with the growth of the business aircraft industry in Asia-Pacific.

The area is the third-largest business for business aircraft globe, trailing North America and Europe.

” We are right smack in the middle”, said Mr Leck. ” You can use us as a platform to capture opportunities in a growing Asia-Pacific market” .&nbsp,

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Commentary: China’s jetliner dreams are getting real, but it’s too early to celebrate

The C919 made its high-profile global display at the Singapore Air Show, where China’s Tibet Airlines announced an attempt for 40 C919 flights. In fact, commands for the plane have been confined to Chinese-owned flights. These payments are commonly seen as state-directed more than market-driven, a fact that has dampened the jet’s global beauty.

The C919’s minimal charm stems in part from its reliance on American pieces. Despite being labelled a” Chinese-made” or “homegrown” flight, many of its crucial parts including aircraft and engines are sourced from American manufacturers. Some sceptics also suggest that the plane’s style borrows strongly from Boeing’s 737 initiative, with complaints of intellectual property theft lingering in the background.

Yet Beijing’s interests extend well beyond the C919, as they did beyond the ARJ21, China’s first major attempt at corporate jet production. When China sought to develop its aerospace business by co-producing the MD-80 line, the ARJ21 was born out of a troubled relationship in the 1980s with McDonnell Douglas, a significant American aviation company at the time. &nbsp,

In the end, the joint venture failed, leaving China with dated layouts and some technical expertise. The ARJ21, greatly derived from the MD-80, retained a 1980s aircraft and struggled to meet current performance requirements, limiting its allure also domestically.

Substantial Opposition

The C919, by comparison, was marketed as a change from this joint-venture reputation. It is China’s second major attempt to build a jet designed for international profitability, embracing modern architecture and the ARJ21’s training. China’s aircraft prowess and advertising skills have been tested on the C919.

Nor is the C919 the sum of China’s motivation. A widebody C929 project was originally envisioned as a joint venture with Russia, just to shop following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. China eventually took full control, and should it triumph, it may solidify China’s position in the global aircraft industry moving from metaphorical milestones to meaningful competition.

The C929 was envisioned as a direct competition to Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner and Airbus’s A350, premier models in the widebody industry and symbols of American plane production supremacy. Unlike the single-aisle C919, the C929 is designed for long-haul flights and capable of carrying more passengers. &nbsp,

Initially, the C929 was to feature engines from Western manufacturers such as Rolls-Royce or General Electric. Beijing is now doubling down on efforts to develop the CJ-2000 engine, a domestically produced alternative. &nbsp,

If successful, this would make the C929 more homegrown of a jet than the C919, reducing China’s reliance on Western technology.

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Commentary: US adjusts to Trump; Asia must do the same

AN Royal Presidential CONTINUES WITH TRUMP’S GUARDRAILS.

Guardrails are made to point people away from danger and shield them from danger. As Trump re-enters company, he continues to issue existing handrails.

A Congress controlled by Republicans, many of whom came to power with Trump’s support, evidently will submit to him other than in the most severe examples, such as his first nomination of Matt Gaetz to become Attorney General.

Selecting someone who has been found guilty of paying for sex by parliamentary ethics authorities, including a 17-year-old lady, and using illegal medicines, including marijuana, crosses the line for Trump.

It remains to be seen if any of the other nominations, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Health and Human Services, Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence, or Pete Hegseth for Defense, are confirmed. If any do, let alone all three, it does demonstrate Trump’s unrivalled political power in the post-war time.

The criticism group has also failed.

To have handrails, you may be willing to fight, according to Democrat strategist Peter Goelz. Democrats want someone else to handle the large lifting, such as Liz Cheney on the Jan 6 council or Robert Mueller serving as the impartial counsel in the first word. Today, it’s too late to stop him”.

Last July, the Supreme Court eliminated a crucial check on Trump’s strength. &nbsp, There, the Court ruled that presidents have “absolute” exemption for acts committed as leader within their” key constitutional powers”, at least “presumptive resistance” for “acts within the outer boundary” of their official duty, and no immunity for illegal acts.

Trump enters the president knowing that when he leaves company, he can essentially be held legally responsible for making decisions, including ordering activities with the intention to remain in authority after his constitutionally-limited next term.

However, the most recent Supreme Court ruling against Trump in the case involving hush money in New York surprised, particularly with the selection by Trump-appointed Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who was the decisive vote in a 5-4 selection. The recent Supreme Court may simply not have had the statistics it needs to assert itself. &nbsp,

A bit of a wall, and one on which no one really count.

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Commentary: Trump’s defence chief pick cannot name a single ASEAN country – here’s why that’s worrying

That conceivable lapse of knowledge might have been more forgiveable if Mr. Hegseth had only been able to respond to the next question. The US is a companion to several international categories, including ASEAN, the European Union, and the South American MERCOSUR. It would be useful, but not necessary, for a military secretary to keep up to day on their concerns and account.

Mr. Hegseth’s inability to name a second ASEAN nation was the more severe flub, even though the US has a military alliance that forces it to provide military support in a discord, such as the Philippines and Thailand. These two unresolved issues, combined, refute past assertions made by Mr. Trump’s first leadership that ASEAN is the “geographical center of the Indo-Pacific” for the US.

Was this a blunder on Mr Hegseth’s piece? According to his knowledge of global affairs, he was not chosen for the place of defense director.

By Mr Hegseth’s own entrance, his goal is to reestablish “warrior society” at the Defence Department as a former with “dust on his shoes”. During his opening speech, he did not mention China or the Indo-Pacific again, devoting his time to outlining his vision for a more “lethal” defense. He even made a few comments about how Mr. Trump could resolve the Middle East security issues and ending the Russia-Ukraine war in his responses.

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Timorese eye stronger education, trade ties after joining ASEAN, but some say country is ‘not yet ready’

They can benefit from better network, more opportunities to study abroad, and they can operate on global collaborations and the development of the financial system, she said.

Alda is a member of a youth company called NextGen Innovation Hub, set up by Cristovao Reinato Estelita, 22, to carry discussions and capacity-building activities for young Timorese to try and tackle the government’s challenges. &nbsp,

Timor-Leste needs to improve its care, system, market and learning system, said&nbsp, Estelita.

He added that the urban-rural break, which causes the majority of Timorese to live in rural areas without access to education and information, needs to be addressed.

Not all researchers and civil society observers in the country, yet, believe Timor-Leste is ready to get ASEAN’s newest part.

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Ex-PM Hwang says South Korea’s conservatives must stick together – Asia Times

South Korea is currently in severe social and political upheaval as a result of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s quick declaration of martial law on December 3. His choice to install military forces onto the roads of Seoul shocked spectators both domestically and abroad, a sight not seen in decades.

However, what initially appeared to be a democratic dying end for the leader is now taking an unexpected move. Despite his extraordinary arrest on January 15 on suspicion of rebellion, the situation appears to be reversing.

Long sluggish, Yoon’s approval ratings have lately surged and surpassed their pre-martial rules numbers. After decades of division and faction fighting, the ruling People Power Party is also immediately reorganizing.

While this upsurge may prove momentary, the growing influx of pro-Yoon followers and the government’s increasing momentum are becoming harder to ignore. Multigenerational crowds are unified in their support of the chief executive and their state to uphold the constitutional attempt as a result of the city’s growing rallies.

Interviewed for Asia Times, Hwang Kyo-ahn, who was South Korea’s 44th prime minister and even served as justice secretary, shared his insight. Hwang offers a unique view on the unfolding social crisis having served as acting president during the impeachment and removal of President Park Geun-hye in 2016 and 2017.

Was President Yoon’s military law order justified?

An fundamental right bestowed on the main executive, an extraordinary power that supersedes common law, is for the disaster to be called martial law. However, one may comprehend the circumstances that led to President Yoon’s December 3 declaration of martial law.

Over the two and a half times since Yoon’s management took company, the opposition, wielding a majority in parliament, has effectively paralyzed the legislative branch. Most importantly, the de facto communist coalition, headed by the major opposition Democrat Party, has consistently obstructed the application of the president’s personal agendas.

The partnership, for example, has wielded its fiscal power for years, hiking members ‘ salaries while slashing financing for Yoon’s premier policies. They also eliminated the president’s specific activities finances, a crucial source for managing administrative operations.

Beyond economic measures, the criticism has constantly obstructed the visit of key personnel, putting pressure on them to retire even after taking office, or rejecting nominees during verification hearings. In a striking show of obstructionism, the Democrat Party has filed 29 prosecution motions against express officials, prosecutors and people until today. This is a record-breaking find unmatched by any previous leadership.

With President Yoon’s standard rights and social strategies stymied, he had no choice but to take actions. But, let there be no mistake. Yoon sought to overthrow the Constitution or any state instrument, but the order was never implemented by troops by force under the direction of the president.

Can you elaborate on the poll fraud disputes?

Another major motivation for President Yoon’s emergency martial law was to look into the automated system used by the National Election Commission and find the truth about allegations of election fraud. Conducting a thorough investigation during the peacetime is hardly possible because the percentage is an independent legal body with top judiciary members on staff. The army was then deployed to the Election Commission and related organizations to secure machines and important evidence in the context of martial law.

Election fraud claims first surfaced during the April 2020 and April 2024 public votes. Information includes faulty vote, improper seals, and vote boxes that were supposed to be sealed but were discovered open. In some towns, these irregularities and other political flaws have led to statistically unfeasible outcomes.

Through recounts that I and other candidates who were impacted negatively by the imperfect system, we were able to uncover these details. Over 1, 000 incorrect votes were found despite just 1, 900 citizens having been registered at a voting place in Incheon, for example. Min Kyung-wook, a former member of the US Parliament, tirelessly pursued this matter legally until the Supreme Court invalidated 279 erroneous votes. It did not alter the election results, yet.

A statement from the National Intelligence Service in October 2023 highlighted major flaws in the electoral roll, the vote-counting system, and the early voting system in South Korea. Unabhängig of one’s opinion on election scams, investigating an electoral program with obvious flaws may be merely common sense.

What do you think about the allegations of rebellion against President Yoon?

Subjective and objective criteria are two key concepts in criminal law. The objective condition addresses the act’s intended purpose. Without goal, punishment is not possible. The work itself is subject to the imperative necessity. If I punch a stranger, for example, that would meet the definition of an assault.

For a criminal verdict on rebellion charges, both parts may be present. In the case of President Yoon’s martial law, yet, neither was visible. There is no evidence that the leader authorized or intended for the legislature to be overthrown.

You claim the opponent’s ‘ despotism’ has never stopped. How thus?

On December 14, opposition events rammed through an prosecution movement in congress against President Yoon following a failed endeavor. He is accused of planning an insurrection through an unlawful martial law order, according to the motion, which Democratic Party lawmakers have actively supported recently.

The main opposition party is now moving to remove that claim from the senate articles, apparently in recognition of the difficulty of proving rebellion charges. Rather, they are shifting their focus to the dispute over Yoon’s says that he violated the law by declaring martial law on December 3.

By lowering the high-burden-of-proof rebellion cost, streamlined the content, allowing courts to hear fewer arguments, and reducing the number of witnesses, Yoon’s prosecution process. And specifically on this is the key opposition’s primary focus. In the end, Democratic Party politicians are determined to remove President Yoon from business as soon as possible, paving the way for opposition leader Lee Jae-myung to take the helm. For Lee, who is grappling with mounting legal problems, this situation is very appropriate.

The Democratic Party recently introduced a special counsel act to investigate Yoon for allegations of inciting North Vietnamese anger as well as for inciting insurrection. Their despotic endeavor, thus, shows no signs of abating.

I’ve long warned that assuming the role of a communist like Lee Jae-myung would bring about the demise of South Korea’s liberal democracy. We liberals must remain steadfast and fight until the last breath to accomplish this.

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Kin press to find Chinese model

Yang Zeqi: Vanished two weeks ago
Yang Zeqi: Vanished two weeks ago

The search for his brother, who arrived in Thailand next month for an acting career but has not spoken to his home in more than two weeks, has been slowed down by the father of a Chinese model.

Yang Hai Tao’s father, Yang Zeqi, just requested that his son’s search be made quickly by attorney Ratchapon Sirisakorn to accompany him in writing to Pol Gen Kittharath.

After being invited to take a movie in Thailand, the Chinese unit arrived in Thailand on December 21. He next communicated with his mom on December 29 via Snapchat.

According to his father, the young man showed signs of fear and was reportedly exhibiting wounds around one of his sight during the visit. Mr. Yang expressed a concern that his brother might have been subjected to physical abuse.

He even noticed that his brother, unlike on standard video calling, had only one hand on the phone during the call, and that he kept both hands on the table during the visit. This sparked concerns that someone else was in charge of the phone.

But, Mr. Yang claimed that his brother did not request assistance, which further supported his theory that he may have been supervised at the time.

The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division ( ATPD ) has received a missing persons report from the family, but the investigation has not yet made any progress.

The community is unsure whether their child is also living in Thailand or has crossed the border into a neighboring nation. His next known spot was Trat, according to his communication with his partner and friends.

Photos that show the license plates of two vehicles Mr. Yang Zeqi had driven in are among the most important pieces of evidence now at the disposal of the police.

The police will also have access to the pictures he shared with his friends before he vanished.

Mr. Ratchapon demanded that Thailand, China, and Myanmar’s institutions work together to solve the issue.

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Anutin eyes establishing regulator

A federal gambling commission has been established to manage such activities in order for online gambling to be legalized, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.

Mr. Anutin lately addressed the speech of the Interior Ministry and the Digital Economy and Society Ministry regarding the organization’s two-month-long partnership to legalize online gambling in a statement released by Deputy Prime Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong.

With draft draft bills already in place, Mr. Anutin said his government had manage matters like licensing and categorizing gambling types.

When asked how gambling may be made legal, Mr. Anutin stated that it will involve moving from illegal gambling to reasonable platforms to combat crime and exploitation.

The Digital Economy and Society Ministry will use these systems to monitor and control gambling habit, he said, by advising debts when people become debt so that they will stop offering any additional funding.

He emphasized the importance of being financially secure and responsible, as well as ensuring operators don’t fall short of obligations by closing down their operations when faced with a substantial loss.

He also emphasized the need for a federal committee to oversee the gambling sector.

In a campaign speech in Chiang Rai on January 5, past leading Thaksin Shinawatra argued the need to legalize online wagering, noting that the government had been unable to collect taxes from the activity even though it generates significant income.

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Indians targets of ‘slap attacks’

Citizens in Pattaya are concerned about a string of attacks that involve slapping American readers around the head as they pass by.

Drivers and their scooter riders frequently speeding towards Indians in closed-circuit television (CCTV ) images posted online.

Plaintiffs said the attackers were young men on motorcycles, some of whom wore college clothes. They frequently targeted Indians at evening.

American business Santa Singh, 58, reported on Wednesday that Pattaya 2 Road, which leads to Phra Tamnak Hill, has experienced a number of similar incidents over the past month.

The most recent event, according to Mr. Singh, occurred on Tuesday evening around 11 p.m. when two people in their 20s rode up to some American citizens. The rider horse then viciously slapped one Indian in the head before fleeing.

A 28-year-old Thai massage who identified herself as Nat alleged she witnessed a scooter rider systematically attacking American citizens along Soi VC Road, reprimanding the perpetrator.

A motorcycle taxi driver who used the name Tao claimed that these kinds of situations frequently occured and that adversaries occasionally dressed as students. He claimed that the victims were American tourists who were frequently spit at by the intruders while they were walking along the street.

Testimony claim that Indian immigrants frequently operated hotels, restaurants, massage parlors, and tour companies in Pattaya.

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Parties ‘need to unite on casino bill’ – govt spokesman

A visitor plays Pachinko, a Japanese form of legal gambling, at a parlour in Japan. (File photo: Reuters)
A customer plays Pachinko, a Chinese form of legal gaming, at a room in Japan. ( File photo: Reuters )

According to federal official Jirayu Houngsub, some dark businesses are attempting to do whatever it takes to undermine the government’s bill that would allow for the legalization of gambling and including them in fresh pleasure structures.

” Now we have to remain united to fight these dark organizations,” Mr. Jirayu said on Thursday,” and security officials have discovered are trying every means possible to stop the bill.”

” They frantically want their’ dark’ companies to proceed. ]And if they succeed in this endeavor ] Thai culture may be left in the same vicious group”, he said.

He even brought up the issue of opposition parties that have separate policies that aim to legalize underwater companies in order to better control them and generate more revenue, but who also vehemently oppose the administration’s plan to legalize casinos.

He urged them to evaluate their policies in light of their shared efforts to combat fraud with the government.

If left beneath, these companies lead to other problems, such as money laundering and individual smuggling, he said.

Mr. Jirayu urged these opposition events to rather work with the government to push for the government to pass this bill as soon as possible.

According to him, the leisure complex act contains rules intended to minimize any negative effects on society from legalizing casinos.

He said that it places an age and income restriction on the people who will be able to gamble at casinos, as well as a requirement that only people aged 20 and above who have a certain amount of taxable earnings can provide.

The type of leisure complex the state is aiming for will not only deal with lawful games but also other world-class income-generating institutions, including water parks, accommodations, venues and concert rooms, he said.

Legalizing illegal companies has proven to be a more efficient way to control them and protect world from their detrimental effects, he said, drawing lessons from the experiences of other Asian and other nations.

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