What is more, Asian airlines, with their lower labor costs and reputation for attentive service, are proving to be tough competitors.

The remaining 11 will be used to establish the proposed new premium Asian airline.

But other Asian airlines were more amenable to the system.

Most Asian airlines pride themselves rightly on the level of their service.

Asian airlines have two basic advantages over their western competitors.

International Asian airlines have always had a very high service standard.

There was no proof that the idea had been pitched to any Asian airlines.

That increased the need to get specific confirmation that the concept was still alive and being presented to Asian airlines.

Typically, a scheme artist goes to the baggage claim area of an Asian airline and gets a passenger's name from luggage.

A senior executive at a major Asian airline, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he had concerns about its speed and range.