The Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines managed to sneak in its 63rd Assembly of Presidents after all on 22 November in Kuala Lumpur after earlier cancelling the planned meeting that was set for Hong Kong but was moved to Malaysia because of the ongoing pro-democracy, anti-government protests and violence that has plagued the Chinese special administrative region for the past six months. The association issued a statement saying the usually open meeting was held in Kuala Lumpur, where the association is based, “in order to comply with the association’s internal administrative and legal processes. As such, the meeting was not open to external parties”.
In addition to announcing the usual resolutions on safety, infrastructure, environment and other association concerns, the AAPA announced that Andrew Herdman will step down as director general and be replaced by Subhas Menon, who will take over starting in March. Herdman has been director general since 2004. Menon has been a long-time official at Singapore Airlines Group, according to the AAPA statement announcing the change, and has held a variety of positions, most recently serving as regional vice president for Europe. Herdman, in the AAPA statement, said: “It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as AAPA director general, working closely together with AAPA member airlines and helping to voice their views on a wide range of industry and related regulatory issues. Today, the AAPA is a widely respected organisation globally as well as within the Asia-Pacific region, and works in close collaboration with national governments, regional and international organisations, and other aviation stakeholders. The Asia-Pacific region is already the largest aviation market globally, with further great opportunities ahead of us. Subhas Menon, with his breadth of international and commercial experience, is very well qualified to lead AAPA in its next phase of development.”
Menon, in the same statement, said: “I am honoured to have been chosen to represent and serve the region’s airline community as incoming director general. I am committed to promoting the sustainable development of Asia-Pacific aviation, and increasing AAPA’s reach and influence across the region, addressing future challenges and opportunities for aviation in promoting economic and social development.”
