AIR ASIA X

[Brown1950 67]

Malaysian no-frills airline Air Asia X has delayed the start of its UK flights from the Autumn to the end of the year, but promised return fares to Kuala Lumpur from £300 once it is running. The airline has had difficulty securing suitable Airbus A340 aircraft to operate the route, but still plans to launch by Christmas.

 

Chief executive Azran Osman-Rani said the airline’s low operating costs would allow it to offer market-beating fares of £300 return including taxes and charges. He said: ‘It is something we are prepared to not make money on at today’s oil prices because if we establish the London link, we will get a whole suite of new travellers.’

 

The carrier’s arrival in the UK will be backed by a huge marketing campaign stressing the connections from Kuala Lumpur. Air Asia X offers Australia’s Gold Coast and Hangzhou, about 100 miles from Shanghai, while sister brand Air Asia flies to more than 40 destinations across Asia.

 

Passengers will have to buy food onboard Air Asia X, and Mr Osman-Rani said customers who pre-ordered would pay around £8 for a meal with drinks.

 

The airline looks certain to choose Stansted as its UK entry point (as indicated by the 'London link' comment in the statement above). Mr Osman-Rani admitted Stansted would be the logical choice, adding ‘we are a logical company.'

 

Air Asia X, in which Sir Richard Branson has a 16% investment, will offer seat-back videos in economy and Mr Osman-Rani said the carrier also planned to offer inflight wi-fi. A premium economy section, priced between £900 and £1000 return, will offer flatbed seats with a 50-inch seat pitch, but passengers will still have to buy food.

[Gus 97]

I am surprised that the Bearded Wonder has not tried to unload some of his A340s onto Air Asia X, the popular opinion is the 340 is not very fuel efficient compared with say the 777.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

I am surprised that the Bearded Wonder has not tried to unload some of his A340s onto Air Asia X, the popular opinion is the 340 is not very fuel efficient compared with say the 777.

 

Unfortunately, he's going to need all the A340s he can lay his hands on ...............................

 

A Day In The Life Of Virgin's Head Honcho

 

 

"Top of the agenda is, not surprisingly, airplanes. Mr Ridgway has been one of the first to publicly raise concerns about the state of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner. Having placed an order last year for up to 43 of the state-of-the-art aircraft worth up to $8bn, he is understandably worried about rumours of delays which could be more severe than those that have afflicted Airbus's A380, which has fallen two years behind schedule.

 

"We need to understand what the implications are," he says. "We haven't had any details on the delays and whether it's manageable. We will have to look more seriously at alternatives."

 

Brown1950,

 

Thanks for the update .............. looks good for those guys that are thinking of heading off towards Angeles.

[Guest Fatboyfat]

Add all the extras such as getting to to Hicksville (Stansted); KL to BKK ; A bit of nosh, and what will surely be overpriced beverages, also baggage allowances/charges; and the price does not make it any more attractive than the indirect flights that are on offer. Especially when you take into account Low-Cost airlines seemingly compulsary unreliability.

The lo-cost formula and long-haul (where costs are often cut to the bone already and subsidised by biz/first class) does not seem to work well.

[Brown1950 67]

Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia X has launched its second Australia destination, starting direct flights between Perth and Kuala Lumpur from November.

 

The services to the Malaysian capital will start with six flights per week, increasing to daily services by March 2009.

 

AirAsia, which also has a Kuala Lumpur to Gold Coast service, announced an introductory offer on one-way flights from Perth to Kuala Lumpur for $99 for travel between November and April, 2009.

 

Tourism Minister Sheila McHale said the deal between Tourism WA, AirAsia and Westralia Airports Corporation could inject nearly $100 million into the WA economy in the service's first year.

 

Ms McHale said Malaysia is already one of WA's top tourism markets, with nearly 40,000 visitors every year spending $157 million.

 

AirAsia next year plans to link Australia with London via Kuala Lumpur - which will further boost the number of United Kingdom visitors to WA.

 

Ms McHale said low-cost carriers had historically been successful in boosting tourism by offering competitive fares and attracting visitors who had not travelled widely before.

 

Westralia Airports Corporation chief executive Brad Geatches said the arrival of AirAsia would be a profitable win for the state's tourism industry.

 

He said the deal presents an opportunity for Perth Airport to become a major hub for low-cost carriers.

 

"Our recently announced $1 billion plan to consolidate the international and domestic terminals means we will be well-placed to meet the growing demand from people travelling through Perth," he said.

 

In 2007, AirAsia carried 18.5 million passengers around its network of 90 routes across south east Asia and China.

 

Sir Richard Branson of the Virgin Group owns a 16% stake in Air Asia as well as a 25% stake in Virgin Blue.

 

It has been suggested that Virgin Blue and AirAsia could possibly develop a partnership in the future with Virgin Blue feeding Air Asia's long-haul network from various points in Australia.

 

AAP