The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is comprised of 10 member countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The purpose of this inter-governmental organisation is to promote regional cooperation, and facilitate integration.
One key factor of integration is the unification of the ASEAN aviation industry. This goal is reflected in the ASEAN Open Sky Agreement, also known as the ASEAN Single Aviation Market (ASEAN-SAM). While this move is likely to be beneficial for ASEAN member states, some experts argue otherwise – find out more about the implications and benefits of Open Sky here!
To help you understand the ASEAN members and their respective aviation industries a little better, below are snapshots of each nation:
Brunei
Brunei is a sovereign state on the island of Borneo, surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak. Despite being a small country, Brunei ranks second among the ASEAN member states in terms of Human Development Index (HDI) and wealth, after Singapore. It is also classified as a ‘developed country’, a title yet to be achieved by most member states. In 2018, Brunei was listed as the 3rd richest country in the world, topping nations such as Switzerland and The United Arab Emirates.
| National Aviation Authority | Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) |
| No. of Commercial Airlines | 1 |
| National Carrier | Royal Brunei Airlines |
| Fleet Size | 14 (18 destinations) |
Cambodia
When one thinks of Cambodia, the magnificent Angkor Wat comes to mind; or perhaps, the great lake, Tonle Sap. However – for the touristy Kingdom – ancient temples and natural wonders are not the only things worth boasting about. Cambodia is proud to have a rapidly growing aviation industry, with which the Dviation Group is in collaboration.
| National Aviation Authority | State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) |
| No. of Commercial Airlines | 8 |
| National Carrier | Cambodia Angkor Air |
| Fleet Size | 6 (20 destinations) |
Indonesia
Being the largest archipelagic country in the world, Indonesia’s 5,120 kilometres East-West width relies heavily on air travel to transport locals between the 922 (out of a total of 13,466) islands. As such, Indonesia has an astounding 673 airports, catering to the needs of the world’s fourth-most-populous country.
Apart from a flourishing Low-Cost Carrier market, Indonesia’s aviation industry is famous for its Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) sector. Local organisation GMF AeroAsia has the world’s largest maintenance facility for narrow-bodied aircraft. Indonesia has been predicted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to become the world’s fourth largest air travel market by 2036, with over 355 million passengers flying from and within the nation.
| National Aviation Authority | Directorate General of Civil Aviation |
| No. of Commercial Airlines | 54 |
| National Carrier | Garuda Indonesia |
| Fleet Size | 143 (91 destinations) |
Laos
According to the World Bank, Laos is one of the fastest growing economies in East Asia and the Pacific. The nation’s progress in the past 20 years has led to successes including halving poverty, improving education and health, and reducing hunger. However, despite such progress, the Laotian aviation industry is still fairly small, compared to other ASEAN member states. Currently, commercial flights are available in less than 10 airports in Laos.
| National Aviation Authority | Department of Civil Aviation of Lao PDR |
| No. of Commercial Airlines | 2 |
| National Carrier | Lao Airlines |
| Fleet Size | 11 (20 destinations) |
Malaysia
Malaysia is a beautiful nation of rainforests and exotic wildlife; it has also made its name as a shopping paradise and food-lovers’ haven. This country is rich in culture and diversity – but don’t let this warm and seemingly laid-back front fool you! Malaysia is one of the fastest growing economies, with a newly industrialised market economy, ranking 4th largest in Southeast Asia, and 38th largest in the world.
When it comes to aviation, Malaysia has brought several major industry players to the game, namely, AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines. Besides airlines, Malaysian MRO organisations and training centres such as Dviation are also active contributors to the ASEAN aviation industry.
| National Aviation Authority | Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) |
| No. of Commercial Airlines | 8 |
| National Carrier | Malaysia Airlines |
| Fleet Size | 77 (55 destinations) |
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The Dviation Group strives to drive the ASEAN region to the forefront of the global aviation industry. Discover more about their goals at www.dviation.com, and find out how you can be part of this vision!