The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the aviation industry due to the resulting travel restrictions as well as a slump in demand among travelers. Significant reductions in passenger numbers have resulted in planes flying empty, which in turn massively reduced revenues for airlines and forced many airlines to lay off employees or at the risk of bankruptcy.

After three failed ventures to enter the Vietnamese aviation market, AirAsia boss Tony Fernandes recently revealed that he will plot expansion in Cambodia, Myanmar and China.