AirAsia crash highlights perils of region's crowded skies

JAKARTA: Caught in stormy weather, the pilot of AirAsia Flight QZ8501 requested to climb to a higher altitude but was not immediately granted permission because of  heavy traffic. Soon afterwards, the jet disappeared off the radar.

While the causes of last month's crash in Indonesia are still being probed, experts say the final moments before the accident point to the perils of flying in a region where safety standards are struggling to keep pace with crowded skies.