Many Southeast Asian airlines have reported their positive business results in the United Kingdom (UK) market, in both the numbers of services and passengers, at the on-going World Travel Market (WTM) in London.

According to Heathrow Airport’s latest data, the airport received 7.8 million passengers from the Asia-Pacific region in the first nine months of this year, up by 5.5 percent year-on-year. The figure is expected to continue rising next year.

Philippine Airlines has re-opened its service from Heathrow to Manila after 15 years with five flights per week, using Boeing 777-300ER. The carrier considers the UK its important market as 60,000 British came to Manila during the first half of the year.

Two years ago, Vietnam Airlines launched a direct route from Gatwick to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with four flights per week, while Thai Airways now operates two flights per day from London to Bangkok.

During the WTM, Indonesia ’s Garuda Airlines has organised a number of activities to introduce its four-flight-per-week service from Gatwick to Jakarta , using Boeing 747-300ER.-VNA