Largest Asian Route Development Event Ever to Open in Mumbai

Manchester, England (ots/PRNewswire) -

Record numbers register to attend Routes Asia, hosted by GVK
Chhatrapati Shivaji Interational Airport, Mumbai

In just three days time the 11th Routes Asia event will take place in
Mumbai, India. The event will be hosted by GVK's Chhatrapati Shivaji
International Airport (CSIA) which is managed by Mumbai International
Airport Pvt. Ltd. (MIAL), at the Renaissance Mumbai Hotel &
Convention Centre which is one of the largest convention centres in
the city.

Almost 160 airline delegates representing 88 airlines will be
represented at Routes Asia, which will take place from 17-19 March.
This year will also see more airports represented at the event than
in previous years with 257 currently listed. This record
participation for any pan-Asian route development event highlights
the continuous demand for new air links across Asia and the
fast-growing ties between Asian nations.

Airlines such as Air India, Jet Airways, Spicejet and IndiGo will
attend with very senior delegations along with Air India Express and
JetLite. The Low Cost sector will also be well represented with
attendance from Jetstar Airways, LionAir, The AirAsia Group and Tiger
Airways along with major carriers Qantas, Malaysia Airlines, American
Airlines, British Airways, Etihad and Japan Airlines. The event also
promises a large Chinese presence with Air China, Shenzhen Airlines,
Hainan Airlines, China Eastern and China Southern Airlines all
registered to attend. Other carriers who have signed up for the
Indian event recently include Singapore Airlines, Silk Air, GoAir and
Qatar Airways.

"We will have a record attendance at Routes Asia in Mumbai," said
David Stroud, Executive Vice President, Routes explaining: "Airlines
from around the globe are looking for ways to expand into the Indian
market and Routes Asia in Mumbai will see attendance by airports and
airlines from across Asia as well as representation from the Middle
East, Europe and the US. We are looking forward to welcoming the
wider aviation community to Mumbai where they will have ample
opportunity to discuss the future of the industry within Asia."

Sanjay Reddy, Managing Director, Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd
said: "As the countdown to Routes Asia 2013 begins, we are excited
with the overwhelming response and look forward to the opportunity to
showcase all that Mumbai and GVK CSIA have to offer to both domestic
and international visitors. Over the next few days, delegates from
across the world including a varied mix of business leaders &
marketing heads representing some of the region's biggest airlines
and airports, industry experts and commentators will discuss
opportunities for airline route development. The forum this year has
attracted a diverse group who we strongly feel will appreciate the
market opportunities and investment attractiveness associated with
GVK CSIA as a host airport"

Taking place on Sunday 17th March 2013, the Routes Asia Strategy
Summit will open the event and will address issues affecting aviation
and route development across the region. Panels of leading industry
experts will take part in a number of moderator led discussions such
as Developing Hubs in Asia and Chasing the Tiger and the Dragon,
which will look the fast-growing outbound travel markets for China
and India and Where next for Asian Low Cost Carriers? which will look
at this rapidly evolving segment of the Asian aviation market.

High level delegates involved in the panel sessions include, amongst
many others, Aditya Ghosh, President of IndiGo, Neil Mills, CEO of
Spicejet, Deepak Brara, Commercial Director of Air India, Rajeev
Jain, CEO of Mumbai International Airport, VP Agrawal, Chairman of
Airport Authority of India, Germal Singh, SVP of Government &
International Affairs for Malaysia Airlines and Venggataroa Niadu,
Head of Network for AirAsia X.

In addition to the Strategy Summit and the Face-to-Face meetings
taking place at the event, this year's Route Exchange programme will
see senior network planners from four carriers deliver an overview of
their route development opportunities and how airports can be part of
their airline expansion. The carriers delivering briefings, which are
open to all attending airports, are Qantas, Jet Airways, Saudi
Airlines Cargo and MEGA Maldives. Additional content will be provided
by Tourism Australia and Singapore Tourism Board who will both
deliver a destination briefing whilst in Mumbai.

Notes to Editors

About Routes

- Routes organises world-renowned airline and airport networking 
events
  through its regional and global Route Development Forums. Each 
year, there is one
  global event and one regional event in Asia, Africa, Europe, the 
Americas and CIS
  respectively. http://www.routesonline.com

- Routes was founded in 1995 as part of the Manchester UK-based ASM 
Ltd.,
  a consultancy specialising in the field of route development for 
airports.
  http://www.asm-global.com [http://www.asm%E2%80%90global.com ]

- Routes and ASM were acquired by UBM Aviation Worldwide Ltd in 
August 2010.
  From 1st August 2012 Routes, ASM and the Airport Cities Conference 
and Exhibition
  become part of the UBM Live division of UBM plc.

- UBM Live connects people and creates opportunities for companies 
across
  five continents to develop new business, meet customers, launch new
products, promote
  their brands and expand their markets. Through premiere brands such
as MD&M, CPhI,
  IFSEC, TFM&A, Cruise Shipping Miami, the Concrete Show, the Routes 
portfolio of
  events, Airport Cities and many others, UBM Live exhibitions, 
conferences, awards
  programs, publications, websites and training and certification 
programs are an
  integral part of the marketing plans of companies across more than 
20 industry
  sectors. http://www.ubmlive.com

Follow us on twitter: @Routesonline, @TheHUBRoutes, @VictoriaRoutes,
@NLPROU, @airlineroute

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