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  • AirAsia flies to Okinawa

    AirAsia flies to Okinawa

    AirAsia expands services to Japan from its Bangkok hub by introducing direct flights from Bangkok Don Mueang airport to Okinawa, a popular holiday destination in Japan’s south.

    Four weekly flights to Okinawa will start on 2 April 2024, with services scheduled on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

    Known as the “Hawaii of Japan,” it’s well known for the sightings of giant whale sharks, and foodies love its seafood cuisine. Fares are on sale starting at THB3,490 per trip for bookings through 21 February 2024 for travel from 2 April to 26 October 2024.

    AirAsia Thailand chief executive officer Santisuk Klongchaiya commented: “Based on  strong  demand, Thai AirAsia (FD) will now be flying direct to Okinawa in Japan for the very first time, marking the second route to Japan flown by Thai AirAsia after we re-introduced flights post-pandemic to Fukuoka in October 2022.”

    Okinawa is a major island in south Japan known for its white sand beaches, stunning sea, massive aquarium and unique culture. Home to various tourist destinations, the island also boasts one-of-a-kind Okinawan cuisine, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking for a new take on Japan.

    Thai AirAsia (FD) will operate two direct routes to Japan, Bangkok (Don Mueang) – Fukuoka with daily flights and Bangkok (Don Mueang) – Okinawa four times a week starting 2 April.

  • AirAsia launches new route to Ahmedabad

    AirAsia launches new route to Ahmedabad

    AirAsia is set to launch a new route from Kuala Lumpur to Ahmedabad, India’s first UNESCO World Heritage City.

    This move, scheduled for 1 May 2024, expands AirAsia’s network and solidifies its presence in South Asia.

    The latest network addition will become the airline’s eleventh route to India and the third new route in 2024 alone.

    Ahmedabad, also known as Amdavad, has a rich tapestry of history and culture. Home to one of India’s largest cotton textile hubs, serene lakes, and ancient mosques dating back to the 15th century, the city attracts history enthusiasts and travelers alike.

    Its vibrant streets offer some of the world’s best street food, and it stands as a hub for sought-after jewellery markets.

    To celebrate this milestone, AirAsia is extending a special promotional fare. Travel enthusiasts can book flights from Kuala Lumpur to Ahmedabad starting at just RM209 and from Ahmedabad to Kuala Lumpur from only INR7,999.

    This exclusive offer is available for booking until 28 January 2024, with travel valid from 1 May 2024 to 19 March 2025. You can secure seats through the airasia Superapp or the website.

    He highlighted the significance of this expansion, considering the recent Malaysian government initiative for visa-free entry into Malaysia for Indian nationals.

    Lingam shared, “When we launched our very first flight into India in 2008, our vision and mission had always been to enhance affordable connectivity between our two nations.”

  • AirAsia boss pushes Bangkok as global aviation hub

    AirAsia boss pushes Bangkok as global aviation hub

    Based in Malaysia, AirAsia is operating low-cost airlines in four Asean countries, namely Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. The company is planning to launch the newest addition, AirAsia Cambodia, in March.

    “We want to make Bangkok the next Dubai in terms of being a global aviation hub, as the Asean region has high potential with a population numbering more than 700 million,” Fernandes said on Wednesday. “However, Thailand’s airports cannot grow overnight. Therefore, we want to see infrastructure for low-cost airlines included in the country’s future airport expansion projects.”

    He went on to thank the Thai government for waiving the visa requirement for travellers from selected countries in a bid to boost tourism, which also benefits the airline industry in the region.

    Fernandes revealed that after meeting with Srettha, who also doubles as Finance Minister, the AirAsia group would file an official proposal to the Thai government, requesting a 40% reduction on excise tax for jet fuel, which is currently collected at 4.726 baht per litre, and is the highest among the four countries where AirAsia operates.

    The Philippines collect excise tax for jet fuels of 2.48 baht per litre, while Malaysia and Indonesia do not collect this tax.

    “Reducing fuel tax will also help expand the domestic tourism market by distributing Thai and foreign visitors to other provinces besides Bangkok and Phuket,” he said.

    AirAsia will also ask the Thai government to maintain the current rate of the air navigation service fee collected by the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand, which will help airline operators manage operational costs.

    The airline would also urge the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand to consider increasing traffic rights on Thailand-India routes.

    Tassapon Bijleveld, executive chairman of Thai AirAsia and Thai AirAsia X, said on Wednesday that AirAsia group is planning to procure 412 new airplanes, about 25% of which or 100-150 airplanes have been earmarked for the Thai operation.

    He said Thai AirAsia and Thai AirAsia X airlines aim to serve 20-21 million passengers in 2024, up from 18 million people recorded in 2023. However, this estimation is still lower than the tally in 2019, before the pandemic, at 22 million people.

    Tassapon added that Thai AirAsia and Thai AirAsia X would not merge into a single airline immediately after the AirAsia Group announced a business structure adjustment on Monday (January 15), which will see the merger of airline businesses under Capital A with its sister company AirAsia X Bhd (AAX).

    “The merger of two airlines in Thailand may have to wait 2-3 years, until after Thai AirAsia X leaves the business rehabilitation plan, which should happen around late 2025,” he said.

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  • Kazakhstan Expands Tourism Horizons with Malaysia’s AirAsia

    Kazakhstan Expands Tourism Horizons with Malaysia’s AirAsia

    Deputy Minister of Tourism and Sports Yerzhan Yerkinbayev held a meeting with representatives from Air Asia X, led by General Director Benjamin bin Ismail on Dec. 21, the ministry’s press service reported. The discussions centered around the collaborative efforts to develop Kazakhstan’s tourism sector, plans to amplify passenger traffic, and joint initiatives to foster tourism.

    Yerkinbayev emphasized the pivotal role of direct flights, stating that they not only break down barriers for travelers but also contribute to making the country more accessible.

    “Direct flights not only reduce barriers for travelers, making the country more accessible, but also help increase the number of tourists, expand the geography of inbound tourism, and create new opportunities for the tourism business,” said Yerkinbayev.

    With the launch of direct flights between Kuala Lumpur and Almaty, Yerkinbayev anticipates a surge in business tourism, fostering the exchange of experience and knowledge and creating new investment avenues.

    For its part, Air Asia expressed its commitment to the partnership by revealing plans to initiate direct scheduled passenger flights between Kuala Lumpur and Almaty. These flights are expected to operate four times a week on Airbus A330 aircraft, starting from March 2024.

    This move is anticipated to unlock new opportunities for tourism, trade, economic, and investment cooperation between Kazakhstan and Malaysia.

    The initiation of direct flights between Kazakhstan and key destinations is just the first phase of the partnership. Negotiations with various AirAsia entities began in 2018, with AirAsia X management visiting the Kazakh capital as part of the Routes Silk Road initiative.

    Kairat Sadvakasov, Chairman of Kazakh Tourism national company, detailed plans for a joint marketing campaign to increase the flow of tourists, mainly from Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand, all of which enjoy visa-free access.

    AirAsia X, the largest low-cost airline in Southeast Asia specializing in medium- and long-haul passenger transportation, is poised to provide affordable prices for air tickets, further encouraging travel between Kazakhstan and Southeast Asian destinations. The move is expected to invigorate tourism, trade, and economic ties between the nations involved in this collaboration.

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  • Malaysian AirAsia X Launching Direct Flights to Kazakhstan

    Malaysian AirAsia X Launching Direct Flights to Kazakhstan

    The airline plans to conduct regular flights four days a week—Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays—using an A-330 aircraft for the Kuala Lumpur-Almaty route.

    AirAsia X, established in 2006, is a segment of the AirAsia Aviation Group. It boasts a fleet exceeding 270 aircraft and operates flights across 400 routes spanning 25 countries.

    AirAsia X ‘s most popular destinations are: Asia (Bali, Sapporo, Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Busan, Jeju, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Xi’an, Beijing, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Shanghai, Chongqing, Wuhan, Maldives, New Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai and Kathmandu), Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and the Gold Coast) New Zealand (Auckland), the Middle East (Jeddah and Medina) and the United States of America (Hawaii).

    The airline operates in three hubs: Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Denpasar, Bali.

  • AirAsia X, Unilode renew partnership until 2027

    AirAsia X, Unilode renew partnership until 2027

    Unilode Aviation Solutions and medium-, long-haul carrier AirAsia X have extended their full-service ULD management partnership until 2027.

    The two have been working together since 2009 and the partnership has been renewed twice in the past 14 years. Unilode manages the ULD supply for AirAsia X’s current fleet of 14 A330 aircraft. The carrier will acquire three more widebody aircraft by the end of this year with plans to grow further over the next few years.

    AirAsia X currently flies to 19 destinations and the ULD repairs are carried out in Unilode’s global MRO network, mainly located in the Asia-Pacific region, to reduce turnaround times and increase asset availability.

    “Unilode has flexibly adapted to our changes in ULD types and met our ongoing ad-hoc demands to enable AAX to increase cargo revenues amongst other key deliverables,” commented Captain Suresh Bangah, chief operating officer of AirAsia X.

    Unilode, who claims aa strong presence and customer base in the Asia-Pacific region, said it will continue to strengthen its position in the region with new customers and MRO expansion in the coming months.

  • AirAsia to Open Bali-NTT Domestic Route in December

    AirAsia to Open Bali-NTT Domestic Route in December

    AirAsia airlines will open a new domestic route of Denpasar, Bali-Kupang, NTT beginning on December 16, 2023. The Bali-NTT route will serve three flights a week on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

    “AirAsia opens the [route] with a special price of Rp1.5 million for one trip,” said Corporate Communication Manager Indonesia of AirAsia, Ageng Wibowo on Friday, November 17, 2023.

    According to Ageng, this new route will create an opportunity for foreign tourists and Kupang residents to travel through Denpasar, Bali, and extend their trips to various domestic and international destinations such as Surabaya, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok, and Perth.

    This route also opens Kupang to various sources of foreign tourist markets such as Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.

    Kupang is the gateway to all areas in NTT, especially Rote Island, Sabu Island, Timor Island, Alor, Sumba, and Flores. Thus, this route will boost the tourism and economy of the region.

    Additionally, Kupang itself has a promising tourism potential, proven by the number of domestic and foreign tourists visiting the province. The diverse social and cultural spheres supported by Kupang’s geographical conditions attracted visitors to the region.

    “Kupang has many tourist attractions consisting of Marine, Nature, Culture, and Historical destinations, such as Oenesu Waterfall, Tablolong Beach, Crystal Cave, and Manikin Beach,” he said.

    AirAsia, Ageng added, is committed to connecting tourists with their chosen cities by offering flight choices to various interesting destinations.

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  • Suspended Malaysian airline founder arrested in financial crimes probe

    Suspended Malaysian airline founder arrested in financial crimes probe

    The founder of a suspended Malaysian budget airline has been arrested on suspicion of financial crimes, police said Wednesday.

    MYAirline abruptly halted operations last week, citing financial pressures, less than a year after it began flying.

    The airline, which services domestic primarily routes with nine aircraft, said that operations would stop “until further notice”.

    Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf, director of the police commercial crime investigation department, said MYAirline founder and major shareholder Allan Goh Hwan Hua, his 55-year-old wife, and his 26-year-old son had been arrested on Tuesday.

    “Police have obtained a four-day remand from Wednesday for them to assist investigations under the anti-money laundering, anti-terrorism financing and proceeds of unlawful activities act 2001,” Ramli said.

    MYAirline, which began flying in December, said its suspension would allow for a “shareholder restructuring and recapitalization” but gave no timeline for operations to resume.

    “We have worked tirelessly to explore various partnership and capital raising options to prevent this suspension,” the carrier’s board of directors said in a statement last week.

    “Unfortunately, the constraints of time have left us with no alternative but to take this decision.”

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  • Airasia Superapp extends partnership with foodpanda to Thailand

    Airasia Superapp extends partnership with foodpanda to Thailand

    AirAsia Superapp is extending its partnership with Foodpanda, the region’s food and grocery delivery platform to Thailand, following its initial announcement regarding this collaboration back in May.

    As airasia Superapp focuses on its vision as a one-stop travel platform, providing the market with all things travel, from flights, hotels, ride-hailing, duty-free shopping and even dining experiences, this collaboration with foodpanda Thailand continues to emphasize on the strengths of both platforms.

    Through this collaboration, airasia Superapp users can access foodpanda’s  food delivery services, showcasing a diverse array of delightful menus from restaurant partners nationwide. Irrespective of your location, you can effortlessly order delicious cuisine to savor anytime, anywhere. Concurrently, foodpanda customers will venture beyond food delivery, enjoying access to airasia ride’s budget-friendly and reliable ride-hailing service.

    Whether you’re near or far, traveling becomes hassle-free, further complemented by the option for advance car reservations, streamlining travel planning for Thai customers and foreign tourists. Notably, both services empower users to accumulate airasia points, which can be utilized instead of cash for various purposes, including airfare on airasia and other airlines, hotel accommodations, and other exclusive deals via airasia Superapp.

    Ben-Jie Lim, Head of Partnerships & Global Markets, airasia Superapp, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “We’re excited to collaborate with a distinguished food delivery service provider in Thailand like foodpanda. This partnership bolsters both applications, introducing users to innovative services catering to diverse needs, and enhancing overall convenience. foodpanda users can seamlessly access ride-hailing services directly through the app, facilitating more convenient and efficient travel within Bangkok, all at an appealing price point. Moreover, for every 15 baht spent on the airasia ride service in foodpanda app, users will earn 1 airasia point, which can be redeemed for a variety of products and services across airasia Superapp.

    Siripa Jungsawat, CEO of foodpanda Thailand, emphasized, “Leveraging over 11 years of expertise in food and grocery delivery services, foodpanda is delighted to join forces with airasia Superapp, an one-stop travel platform in the region. This partnership will strengthen foodpanda to offer a more comprehensive experience to customers. We have 2 main objectives for this partnership. The first is to deliver a complete and seamless service experience to our existing customers of both airasia Superapp and foodpanda. The second is to expand to a new customer base. This partnership will, of course, result in a more comprehensive and sustainable business ecosystem. Apart from foodpanda Thailand, airasia Superapp also collaborated with foodpanda Malaysia earlier in May this year.”

    To celebrate the collaboration, customers of both airasia Superapp and foodpanda can now avail of special promotional offers for ride-hailing and food delivery from both the foodpanda and airasia Superapp platforms starting today.

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  • AirAsia’s First Airline Partnership Expands its Presence in Indonesia

    AirAsia’s First Airline Partnership Expands its Presence in Indonesia

    AirAsia is joining the growing ranks of airlines partnering to expand their reach in Southeast Asia with a deal in the large Indonesian market.

    The discounter signed a memorandum of understanding at the end of September with Garuda Indonesia-subsidiary Citilink to establish its first-ever interline partnership. The tie-up could launch in the first quarter. The pact aims to expand connectivity between third- and fourth-tier destinations in Indonesia served by Citilink and international points in AirAsia’s network. And it comes just three months after Citilink agreed to sell flights via AirAsia’s Superapp.

    In addition to the passenger airlines’ tie-up, AirAsia-parent Capital A’s Teleport Everywhere logistics firm also plans to partner with Garuda Cargo on air freight.

    The pacts come amid a wave of new airline partnerships in Southeast Asia. Singapore Airlines has led the charge with, since April 2022, new or expanded tie-ups with Garuda, Thai Airways International, United Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, and Virgin Australia. Almost all of them focus on feeding travelers into Singapore’s global network. And Thai, in addition to its Singapore Airlines pact, has unveiled plans for a commercial partnership with Turkish Airlines.

    Partnerships are viewed by most airlines as a low-cost way to expand one’s network. The range in depth from a basic interline agreement that simply facilitates traveler connections to a codeshare where airlines place their own flight number on a flight operated by their partner and sell it as theirs, and a joint venture where two or more carriers operate as essentially one in a given market. The pacts also vary in cost and complexity — and potential financial benefit — in the same order: interline, codeshare, and joint venture.

    The new AirAsia-Citilink pact is the most basic when it comes to partnerships. The airlines only plan an interline agreement where “travelers would be able to check through baggage from origin to destination, on a single boarding pass, for seamless transfer through integrated services.” They did not say whether it could be a precursor to a deeper partnership in the future.

    The tie-up links Indonesia’s second-largest domestic airline by seats, Citilink, with the country’s largest international airline, Indonesia AirAsia, by seats, according to Cirium Diio schedules.

    In its statement on the planned partnership, AirAsia said the interline would include the full “breadth” of its international routes and not only ones to and from Indonesia. That means destinations like Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Seoul, and Tokyo are to be included.

    The focus on Indonesia makes a lot of sense. The country is the largest in Southeast Asia both in terms of population with more than 275 million people, and gross domestic product. And, owing to the country’s archipelago geography, most people have to fly — or take notoriously dangerous ferries — to get where they are going.

    That’s why many airlines want a bigger piece of the Indonesian pie, including AirAsia and Singapore Airlines.

    Of course, the opportunity in Indonesia is not new. AirAsia, in fact, tried to tap it with its own local subsidiary, Indonesia AirAsia. That airline continues to fly but, in terms of seats, is a small player in a crowded market that also includes Batik Air, Garuda, Malindo, and Lion Air.

    In addition to its home carrier in Malaysia, AirAsia has operating subsidiaries in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, as well as ties to the longhaul low-cost brand AirAsia X. It sold its Indian subsidiary, AirAsia India, to the Tata Group which owns Air India, last year. And AirAsia’s newest local airline, AirAsia Cambodia, plans to begin revenue flights in November.

    AirAsia aims to fully recover to pre-pandemic capacity levels by the end of the year.

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  • Thai AirAsia Introduces New Flight To India

    Thai AirAsia Introduces New Flight To India

    The India-Thailand air connectivity is set to receive another boost, with Thai AirAsia announcing a new service from Bangkok to Guwahati in the northeast region of India. The airline already has a significant presence in the country, currently flying to six destinations from Bangkok. The new service will provide a more convenient connection to passengers from Guwahati and the nearby region looking to travel to Thailand.

    Thai AirAsia has announced a new service from Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport to Guwahati in the northeast Indian state of Assam. The new service is in response to a growing demand for travel between the two countries and will start in December. Tansita Akrarittipirom, Head of Commercial AirAsia Thailand, commented.

    To attract passengers, the carrier has offered attractive introductory fares if booked between September 13th and October 1st for a travel period of December 1st, 2023, to March 29th, 2024.

    Thai AirAsia will start the Bangkok-Guwahati service on December 1st with three weekly flights according to the following schedule:

    The carrier has a significant presence in India, given that Thailand is one of the most popular foreign destinations for Indians. Thai AirAsia currently flies to six Indian cities – Bengaluru, Kolkata, Kochi, Jaipur, Lucknow, and Chennai.

    From October, it will also start flying to Ahmedabad and Gaya. Per Cirium data, once Thai AirAsia begins its Guwahati service in December, it will serve nine destinations in India with a total of 402 monthly return flights, offering more than 72,000 seats.

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  • Capital A increases its presence in Cambodia

    Capital A increases its presence in Cambodia

    Capital A, the entity behind the AirAsia Aviation Group of airlines, remains committed to a November 2023 launch of AirAsia Cambodia (Phnom Penh). It comes as Capital A steps up its involvement in the Cambodian market and takes a 60% stake in a local ground services company called ADE Cambodia.

    In late 2022, ch-aviation reported that Capital A had set up a joint venture company, AirAsia (Cambodia) Co., Ltd, to facilitate its entry into Cambodia with the AirAsia brand. The start-up is a 51/49 joint venture with the hospitality group Sivilai Asia.

    This week, Capital A announced another joint venture agreement with Sivilai Asia. A September 20 Bursa Malaysia filing said the principal activities of ADE Cambodia will be engineering maintenance services, component and warehouse services, engineering support services, and digital and innovation services to aircraft, including repair and maintenance of aircraft and/or engines, consultancy, and training. Capital A says ADE Cambodia will support its local low-cost carrier.

    “This will create an opportunity for ADE to establish its operation in Cambodia,” the filing reads, noting that ADE will also hunt for business from other airlines flying into the country. “The objective is to optimize utilization of ADE’s assets at maximum capacity to reach utmost productivity […] enabling Capital A to capitalize on cost-saving opportunities and potentially capture surpluses from new revenue streams generated.”

    Capital A is making the USD1.2 million investment via its subsidiary, Asia Digital Engineering Sdn Bhd, a Malaysia-based business principally engaged in aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul. Sivilai Asia is a Cambodia-based incorporated in early 2022. Its core business is providing consulting services to the hospitality industry.

    The Capital A investment, which is funded from internal cash reserves and not subject to approval from Capital A shareholders, is expected to be finalized by the end of 2023.

  • AirAsia resumes direct flights to Kota Kinabalu from Hangzhou

    AirAsia resumes direct flights to Kota Kinabalu from Hangzhou

    AirAsia celebrated yet another direct international flight into Kota Kinabalu this week, from Hangzhou China, marking the first flight for this route by the airline after a 3 year-long hiatus.

    AirAsia has now restored its direct international flight from Hangzhou, China, to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, for the first time in three years.

    This service restoration becomes the latest development in the carrier’s progressive network renewal, and has been made amid continued pent-up demand.

    The renewed service, operating with a thrice-weekly frequency throughout September 2023, is set to provide AirAsia guests with increased travel options.

    Whether you are an adventure seeker or a culture enthusiast, this route is your gateway to discovering the hidden gems of both Hangzhou and Kota Kinabalu.

    Recognizing the growing demand for this connectivity, AirAsia will further enhance the frequency to seven times weekly from October 2023 to March 2024, ensuring more convenience and ease for guests traveling between these two vibrant cities during the peak travel period.

    To celebrate this significant milestone, passengers aboard flight AK1575 from Hangzhou to Kota Kinabalu were given a heartfelt welcome by AirAsia’s dedicated team and Pn Noredah Othman, CEO of Sabah Tourism Board.

    The surprise and delight of the guests was palpable, setting the tone for an unforgettable journey ahead.

    AirAsia Malaysia CEO, Riad Asmat, expressed his excitement about the resumption of the Kota Kinabalu to Hangzhou route, emphasizing the airline’s commitment to contributing to Sabah’s flourishing tourism industry.

    He stated, “We’ve always strived to uphold our commitment to contribute to Sabah’s booming tourism industry through our expanding network of flights in Asia and beyond, and this new route is a clear testament to that.”

    “Sabah and China are two of our key markets, and we’re confident that our vast connectivity will enable affordable travel for our trusted guests as we continue to grow our fleet and network to cater to growing demand.”

    Coinciding with the resumption of this popular route, AirAsia is extending a limited-time promotional offer for travelers. AirAsia guests can now enjoy an incredible 20% discount on all seats and all flights to various destinations.

    This special offer is valid for bookings made between September 4th and September 10th, 2023, with travel dates available from October 11th, 2023, to March 31st, 2024. Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to explore the world at unbeatable prices.

    Kota Kinabalu stands as AirAsia’s second-largest hub, boasting connections to 9 domestic and 10 international destinations, with a remarkable 268 weekly frequencies – and the list continues to grow.

    AirAsia Malaysia (AK) currently operates 20 routes to/from Greater China, providing over 156 weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur to various Chinese cities.

    Additionally, AirAsia X Malaysia (D7) operates five routes to/from China, with over 30 flights weekly from Kuala Lumpur to Chengdu (Tianfu), Beijing (Daxing), Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Taipei.

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  • AirAsia Indonesia to more than double fleet in 3 years

    AirAsia Indonesia to more than double fleet in 3 years

    Capital A plans to more than double its fleet in Indonesia in the next three years to capture a growing tourism market after the Covid-19 pandemic, its chief executive Tony Fernandes said on Monday (Sep 4).

    AirAsia Indonesia, a unit of Capital A, currently has around 28 planes in its fleet. Fernandes told reporters on the sideline of an Asean business forum in Jakarta that he plans to grow the fleet to 75 by 2026, bringing in more wide-body aircraft.

    Fernandes said that the company’s main goal after the pandemic has been to grow its fleet as travel returns to normal levels quickly.

    “I’m very excited and we want to do as much direct connectivity, we want to open routes that we haven’t opened up before,” Fernandes said, citing Indonesia’s plans to develop destinations beyond the popular holiday island of Bali.

    Last year, Malaysia’s AirAsia Group changed its name to Capital A to reflect its growing portfolio of businesses beyond the core budget airline.

    Fernandes stepped down as AirAsia X CEO in October 2022, but has been the CEO of its parent company since 2018.

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  • AirAsia Philippines gears up for holiday season

    AirAsia Philippines gears up for holiday season

    AirAsia Philippines is gearing up for the holiday season and expects a surge in air passenger traffic after the foreign traveler vaccine certificate requirement was lifted.

    The Department of Health Circular 2023-06 applies to all airports and seaports in the country and states that all arriving international travelers will be accepted regardless of their vaccination status. The circular took effect on Aug. 12, 2023, and follows the Transportation Department’s earlier announcement of the scrapping of face masks for public transportation.

    AirAsia spokesperson Steve Dailisan said the latest development is timely with the upcoming “Ber” months (referring to September, October, November and December), which are usually the busiest time for airlines and peak season for travel in the country.

    He said the lifting of the vaccine certificate travel requirement is a significant step towards making travel more seamless and will encourage travelers, regardless of their vaccination status, to experience the Philippines.

    The Department of Tourism aims to achieve 4.8 million international tourist arrivals this year, and AirAsia is committed to helping achieve this target by providing exceptional services and value deals for flights and other travel-related services through its Airasia Superapp.

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