Several airlines are boosting their flights between South East Asia and the Middle East for the winter period.
Emirates is increasing its services to three major hubs in Asia Pacific. The carrier will increase its flights between Dubai and Kuala Lumpur from three daily to 25 a week from December 3, and then to 26 a week from February 6, 2013. From the first day of next year, it will add a third daily flight to Manila. Then from March 1 next year, it will add a third daily flight to Jakarta.
Meanwhile, Indian carrier Jet Airways from today added frequencies to its flights between Mumbai and a number of Middle Eastern destinations, according to airlineroute.net.
Mumbai to Abu Dhabi has been increased from daily to eleven times weekly, with new flights leaving at 2240 in the evening on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Its flights between Mumbai and Doha have been increased from daily to 13 weekly, with new flights leaving at 2200 on every day except Tuesday. Mumbai to Kuwait flights have been increased from 11 to 14 a week.
While there is some religious and leisure travel between these regions, the increased flights may also reflect the continually strengthening business connections.
Countries in Asia such as Malaysia and Singapore have increasingly done business with Islamic nations. According to a 2010 report by the International Enterprise Singapore, a government agency, the Middle East is an "increasingly attractive investment destination for Singapore companies". It says that between 2004 and 2008 investment in the region multiplied more than 60 times, and that by 2010 there were more than 100 businesses investing in the region.
Meanwhile, businesses from the Middle East have also shown a growing desire to invest in different projects within the Asian region.
Nicholas Olczak
