In January 2013, Filipino-based carrier, Cebu Pacific, successfully reached an agreement with Tiger Airways Holdings to acquire the holding group’s minority 40% share of the Tigerair Philippines airline division. The remaining shares, which are distributed amongst a number of local Filipino investors, will also be acquired by Cebu Pacific.

In the short-term to medium-term, Cebu Pacific has cited that it will continue to operate the airline under the Tigerair brand and livery.

Tigerair Philippines had reportedly been operating at a loss since the Tiger Airways Group had invested in the airline in 2010.

As a part of the sale, the two airlines have also established a commercial alliance that will allow the airlines to interline their ticket sales, subsequently generating increased network opportunities for the two carriers.

In late 2013, Etihad Airways announced plans to establish a regional European airline, which would aid the airline in connecting to a number of Europe’s secondary cities.

An agreement was later reached with Swiss-based airline, Darwin Airline’s, which resulted in Etihad Airways initiating plans to acquire a 33.3% share in the airline (pending regulatory approval).

Darwin Airline will continue to operate as a separate airline from Etihad Airways. However, the airline will be re-branded as ‘Etihad Regional’ and feature the Etihad livery on the aircraft fuselage. Etihad Regional will operate an initial fleet of ten 50-seat Saab Turbo-prop aircraft.

In December 2013, the European Commission’s Air Safety committee placed all airlines operating under the regulatory oversight of the Nepalese civil aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), on the European Union’s list of banned carriers.

As a result, all airlines operating under the regulatory oversight of CAAN are prohibited from operating within European air space.

The EU Air safety committee had reportedly undertaken extensive consultation with Nepalese authorities over the preceding several weeks prior to the regulator’s (and subsequently Nepal’s) inclusion on to the EU ban list. However, the committee concluded that the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal failed to sufficiently comply with international regulatory oversight standards.