[external] Cathay Pacific mulls route cuts on high fuel-paper - Reuters - Sat 9:23 pm
HONG KONG, May 17 (Reuters) - Cathay Pacific Airway Ltd , Hong Kong's dominant airline, is considering cutting its money-losing routes amid soaring fuel prices, South China Morning Post said on Saturday, citing the airline's chief executive as warning in an internal newsletter.

[external] Graphic Taiwan media stoke quake sympathy for China - Reuters - Sat 3:24 am
TAIPEI, May 16 (Reuters) - Taiwan, normally hostile to China, is experiencing a rare moment of sympathy for its earthquake-hit neighbour, fed by an unrelenting stream of shocking photos and footage of quake victims in local media.

[external] ASIA CREDIT-Thai firms rush to sell bonds before rates go up - Reuters - Sat 1:43 am
BANGKOK, May 16 (Reuters) - The value of new corporate bonds issued in Thailand could rise by half this year and many firms want to sell them sooner rather than later to lock in low costs, as inflation could well force a rise in interest rates.

Bangladesh's Best Air Starts Flight to Bangkok on May 25 - AsiaPulse - Fri 11:08 pm
DHAKA, May 16 Asia Pulse - With a view to attract foreign tourists from Bangkok, Best Air, a private airliner of Bangladesh, is going to kick off its international journey on May 25.

[external] Taiwan's new president means business - from China - Reuters - Fri 9:40 pm
TAIPEI, May 16 (Reuters) - Anthony Liao is hiring speakers of minor Chinese dialects at his Taipei travel agency, studying new destinations and ensuring a supply of buses as he gears for a surge of tourists from China, a relative rarity until now.

Cebu Pacific Air Offers Free Fares for Local, Intl Travel - AsiaPulse - Fri 9:21 pm
MANILA, May 16 Asia Pulse - Philippines carrier Cebu Pacific Air(CEB) is offering more than 500,000 domestic and international seats for free for travel from June 9 to December 31 this year.

S Korea's Jeju Air to Fly Overseas in July - AsiaPulse - Fri 6:17 pm
SEOUL, May 16 Asia Pulse - Jeju Air Co., South Korea's biggest budget carrier, plans to begin offering international flights between the city of Jeju and Hiroshima, Japan, in July, the carrier's president said Friday.

[external] Seoul shares open higher to hit new 2008 peak - Reuters - Fri 4:08 pm
SEOUL, May 16 (Reuters) - Seoul shares opened slightly higher on Friday, extending their rally to hit a new 2008 peak on gains in Wall Street overnight and softer oil prices.

[external] Singapore Hot Stocks-DBS, Singapore Air in focus - Reuters - Fri 3:56 pm
SINGAPORE, May 16 (Reuters) - DBS Group Holdings may be in focus on Friday after it raised a higher-than-expected S$1.5 billion ($1.1 billion) from a preference share sale as it seeks to expand in China and elsewhere in Asia.

Earlier Headlines

All times are Singapore Time (GMT+8)

· [external] Freightliner SC plant gets 2,000 truck UPS order - Reuters - Fri 1:21 pm
· [external] Politics aside, Taiwan gives generously in China quake aid - Reuters - Fri 3:01 am
· [external] Branson's Virgin takes first step in Russia market - Reuters - Fri 2:13 am
· China Air Announces Emergency Plan in Effect After Earthquake - AsiaPulse - Fri 2:04 am
· [external] Skymark Airlines-2007/08 parent results - Reuters - Thu 10:51 pm
· [external] Airports of Thailand Q2 net jumps, above f'casts - Reuters - Thu 10:42 pm
· Analysis - Changi Terminal 3 Lifts Singapore as Regional Air-Hub - AsiaPulse - Thu 10:40 pm
· [external] China Meilan Airport plans $214 mln A-shr IPO-paper - Reuters - Thu 7:04 pm
· Vietnam's Da Nang, Chu Lai International Airports to Expand - AsiaPulse - Thu 7:00 pm
· Malaysia Sets up Police Battalion to Ensure Security at KL Airport - AsiaPulse - Thu 6:12 pm

· [external] TEXT-Air NZ to raise short-haul int'l fares by 3 pct - Reuters - Thu 6:07 pm
· Mas Has No Plans to Operate Low-Cost Carrier Service - AsiaPulse - Thu 6:02 pm
· Islamic Dev't Bank to Issue Rupiah-Denominated Sharia Bonds - AsiaPulse - Thu 5:34 pm
· Shortlist Unveiled for the 26TH Oag Airline Industry Awards - AsiaPulse - Thu 5:29 pm
· [external] Mesa Air says to sell shares to repurchase debt - Reuters - Thu 5:28 pm
· Spirit Aerosystems Secures Airbus A350 XWB Contract - AsiaPulse - Thu 5:21 pm
· Four Airports to Handle Taiwan Cross-Straits Charter Flights - AsiaPulse - Thu 4:30 pm
· [external] Singapore Hot Stocks-SingTel, Singapore Air in focus - Reuters - Thu 4:15 pm
· [external] Seoul shares open firm; exporters rise - Reuters - Thu 4:04 pm
· [external] SK Telecom, Virgin Mobile USA confirm talks - Reuters - Thu 7:27 am

· [external] Thai Airways to buy Rolls Royce engines for $500 mln - Reuters - Thu 4:06 am
· [external] Alitalia losses underscore dim hopes of rescue - Reuters - Thu 1:33 am
· [external] SK Telecom in talks with Virgin Mobile - Reuters - Thu 1:15 am
· [external] Singapore Airlines says S$1 dividend sustainable - Reuters - Thu 12:36 am
· [external] Thai Hot Stocks - CSL, THAI, Advanced Info Service, THCOM up - Reuters - Thu 12:20 am
· [external] India ATF futures promise better hedging for carriers - Reuters - Wed 11:12 pm
· [external] Thai Airways Q1 net profit nearly halves from yr ago - Reuters - Wed 10:11 pm
· [external] Singapore Air rises after Q4 earnings beat forecasts - Reuters - Wed 6:40 pm
· [external] Japan Airlines plans 5 pct pay cut to lower costs - Reuters - Wed 5:39 pm
· [external] Sinotrans, Changjiang Shipping plan merger -paper - Reuters - Wed 5:37 pm