Chinese airlines struggled after the nation's aviation regulator lifted a six-year ban on creating independent airlines, a sign of liberalization in the tightly regulated sector.

WSJ: Tokyo Shares Down Sharply

India's Kingfisher Airlines has told the aviation regulator that it will pay staff salaries, held up for the last six months, in the next few days.

BBC: Kingfisher Airline to pay salary dues 'soon'

But on Tuesday, Japan's aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Bureau, said there were still "several steps" that had to be taken before any fix for the Dreamliner battery could be approved.

BBC: A Boeing 787 at Farnborough air show