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Tag: airasia

  • AirAsia to start offering Manila–Ho Chi Minh City flights in November

    AirAsia to start offering Manila–Ho Chi Minh City flights in November

    Budget carrier AirAsia Philippines on Tuesday announced it will begin offering direct flights from Manila to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in November.

    “We are thrilled to announce that we will start servicing direct flights from Manila to Ho Chi Minh in November as part of our commitment to continue bringing the Philippines closer to neighboring cities within the Asean region,” AirAsia Philippines CEO Dexter Comendador said in a statement.

    AirAsia is offering an introductory promo fare of P990 for the Manila-Ho Chi Minh route. The promo is available for booking from September 19 to October 18 on AirAsia’s website and mobile app.

    The promo fares are available for travel period from November 17, 2017 to November 21, 2018.

    AirAsia will fly three times a week from Manila to Ho Chi Minh, every Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday.

  • AirAsia to operate flights to Bangkok

    AirAsia to operate flights to Bangkok

    AirAsia will operate direct flights to Bangkok from Visakhapatnam either from October or from November this year. The airline submitted a letter to Airport Director of Visakhapatnam International Airport requesting for time slots.

    Tour and Travel Operators Association of Andhra (TTOA) has been following up continuously with the airline operator starting with the visit of High Commissioner of Thailand Pisan Manawat and his team and also the top decision makers of Thai Smile to Visakhapatnam on August 31, 2013, according to TTOA chairman O. Naresh Kumar and its president K. Vijay Mohan. In the absence of a direct flight, people from Vizag region are going to Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata to catch flights to Bangkok and other cities in Thailand.

    The advantages of having direct flights from Vizag to Thailand over other nearest major cities is that the distance between these two destinations is only 1,905 km as against 2,400 km from Hyderabad to Bangkok and 2,254 km from Chennai to Bangkok. This will save a lot of time and money to the travellers from this region, according to the TTOA representatives. Pharmaceutical product manufacturers and other traders exporting their goods to Japan from Vizag can now route them through Bangkok, which is 268 km less than sending them through Hyderabad.

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  • AirAsia offers ‘red hot’ seat sale

    AirAsia offers ‘red hot’ seat sale

    Up to five million promotional seats are up for grabs in AirAsia Group’s red hot seat sale campaign. Book seats via airasia.com or the AirAsia mobile app from September 11 to 17 for travel between 1 March to 21 November 2018 to enjoy fares from as low as P17 for flights from/to Manila, Clark, Cebu, Davao, Palawan, Bohol, Kalibo, Caticlan/Boracay, Tacloban, and Iloilo.

    Also up for grabs from as low as P1,290 are promotional flights to international destinations from the Philippines to Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Incheon/Seoul, Canton/Guangzhou, Shanghai, Macau, Singapore, and Hong Kong. AirAsia Philippines CEO Captain Dexter Comendador said that now is the perfect opportunity for their loyal guests and Filipino travellers to connect from many places conveniently. “We continuously add new routes and increase frequencies into our network. Exciting red hot deals await those who would like to travel overseas to over 120 destinations across all Asean countries, Asia, Australia and beyond,” he said.

    AirAsia is set to fly between Manila and Iloilo starting October 1 while direct flights between Davao and Kuala Lumpur will commence on December 21. Promotional flights from the AirAsia group’s hub in Kuala Lumpur to Australia, Japan, Maldives, and other destinations are also available.

    Big Members get to enjoy priority access and will be able to make bookings on airasia.com and redeem flights starting from zero Big Points, exclusively via the BIG Loyalty mobile app from September 10. It’s free to sign up as a BIG Member via airasia.com, airasiabig.com or BIG Loyalty mobile app to redeem promo flights during this promotion. AirAsia Group Chief Commercial Officer Siegtraund Teh said the airline firm continues to grow with more flights to even more destinations, making travel easier.

    “We want our valued guests to be able to take full advantage of our unparalleled frequency to new, exciting places, so it is our great pleasure to offer up to five million promo seats in our biggest campaign ever to help them on their way,” he said. For latest updates on promotions and activities, please follow AirAsia on Twitter (twitter.com/AirAsia) and Facebook (facebook.com/AirAsia).

    AirAsia Philippines is a wholly owned subsidiary of AirAsia Inc. which is a joint venture company among Filipino investors Antonio Cojuangco, former Ambassador Alfredo Yao, Michael Romero, Marianne Hontiveros, and Malaysia’s AirAsia Berhad. AAP operates a fleet of 17 aircraft with domestic and international flights out of hubs in Manila, Cebu and Kalibo.

    The airline operates several flights to/from Manila, Davao, Cebu, Kalibo, Caticlan(Boracay), Tacloban, Tagbilaran (Bohol), Puerto Princesa (Palawan), Clark and Iloilo in the Philippines with international flights to/from Shanghai, Taipei, Incheon (Seoul), Hong Kong, Macau, Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, and Singapore. AAP is part of the AirAsia Group that has been awarded the World’s Best Low Cost Carrier for nine consecutive years running by Skytrax since 2009 to 2017. AirAsia, the leading and largest low-cost carrier in Asia, services the most extensive network with over 120 destinations.

    Within 15 years of operations, AirAsia has carried over 350 million guests and grown its fleet from just two aircraft to over 170. The airline is proud to be a truly Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) airline with established operations based in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, India and Japan, servicing a network stretching across all Asean countries and beyond.

    The carrier was named the World’s Best Low Cost Airline in the annual World Airline Survey by Skytrax for nine consecutive years from 2009 – 2017. AirAsia is the first airline globally to collaborate with INTERPOL to implement the I-Checkit system to screen the passports of all its prospective passengers against information contained in the world police body’s Stolen and Lost Travel Documents database.

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  • AirAsia India adds one A320 aircraft, to launch 3 new routes

    AirAsia India adds one A320 aircraft, to launch 3 new routes

    After the success of domestic and international operations from Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA), Kuala Lumpur-based AirAsia Airline has decided to start another domestic flight from Bhubaneswar. The new daily flight to Ranchi will start operations from October 7.With this, AirAsia offers connectivity from the city airport to Kolkata, Bangalore, Ranchi and Kuala Lumpur. AirAsia is a major operator which uses both (domestic and international) terminals of the BPIA.
    According to airline schedule, Bhubaneswar-Ranchi flight (I51625) will take off from Bhubaneswar at 12:45 pm and reach Ranchi at 2 pm. Similarly, the Ranchi-Bhubaneswar flight (I51624) will take off from Ranchi at 10:30 am and reach here by 11:50 am. Apart from Bhubaneswar, the airline has also decided to offer daily direct flights to Ranchi from Bangalore and Hyderabad.At present, the Bhubaneswar-Ranchi ticket price is around Rs 2,300 (the fare is subject to change).
    The Malaysian carrier has two flights to Bangalore and two flights to Kolkata. Significantly, the airline which started the international operations to Kuala Lumpur in April this year gets good response from the state.

    In fact, the airline was selected for international operations by the state government through a competitive bidding. Apart from AirAsia, IndiGo, Air India, Vistara and Go Air also offer domestic connectivity from BPIA. However, AirAsia is the only airline which offers direct domestic and international connectivity from BPIA.Top officials of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) informed this daily that BPIA will have more flights soon.

    “BPIA is a potential airport and we are already in talks with different operators for starting operations from here. We also suggested to the airlines to start operations by using small aircraft,” said a top official of the AAI.

    According to officials, within two years, the passengers can expect more facilities at BPIA. The AAI has floated a proposal for a three-star hotel near the airport. The authorities have already indentified approximately 54 acres at BPIA for commercial purposes and decided to allot one acre to the three-star project.

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  • AirAsia profit falls 73% on higher operating costs

    AirAsia profit falls 73% on higher operating costs

    Malaysian budget airline AirAsia Bhd. (5099.KU) on Tuesday posted its weakest quarterly earnings in nearly two years, as second-quarter net profit was weighed down by higher operating expenses.

    Net profit for the April-June period fell 73% to 92.5 million ringgit ($21.7 million) from MYR342.1 million a year ago, according to a local stock-exchange filing Tuesday.

    Revenue for the quarter climbed 47% to MYR2.38 billion ($557.6 million) from MYR1.62 billion the previous year.

    AirAsia, Asia’s largest low-cost airline by passenger numbers, said it was optimistic about stronger results this year, citing strong demand and stable fuel prices and foreign-exchange rates. It said it expects to achieve an average load factor of 88% in the third quarter.

    The low-cost airline said it plans to add 22 more planes to its fleet through a combination of finance and operating leases in the second half of 2017.

    Shares of AirAsia traded 0.6% higher at MYR3.30 ahead of the earnings release, outperforming the local benchmark stock index’s 0.5% drop.

    The stock was suspended from trading Tuesday afternoon pending an announcement. In April, The Wall Street Journal reported that a sale of AirAsia’s leasing business, Asia Aviation, to Korea Transportation Asset Management was imminent.

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  • AirAsia sets up new holding company for Indonesian ops

    AirAsia sets up new holding company for Indonesian ops

    AirAsia will partially dispose of and convert its perpetual securities investments in PT Indonesia AirAsia (IAA) into new shares in a company listed on the Indonesia stock exchange.

    The low-cost carrier said on Tuesday PT Rimau Multi Putra Pertama TBK (RMPP), will effectively become the new holding company of IAA, with 57.25% stake in the Indonesian carrier.

    At present, AirAsia has a 49% stake in IAA, while the remaining majority stake belongs to PT Fersindo Nusaperkasa (FNP) owing to a foreign ownership cap on Indonesian airlines.

    Subsequent to the exercise, AirAsia via its unit AirAsia Investment Ltd (AAIL) and FNP will own up to 48% and 49.96% equity interest in RMPP respectively.

    AAIL and FNP will subscribe for the remaining unsubscribed rights shares offered in the rights Issue after allotment for an amount up to 10.4 trillion rights issue shares in exchange for IAA perpetual securities with a nominal value of 2.6 trillion rupiah.

    Upon completion of the rights issue, the IAA perpetual securities will be converted into up to 241,067 newly issued common shares in IAA equivalent to 57.25% equity interest in the company.

    Assuming there is full public subscription to the rights issue, AirAsia will have a 21.05% indirect stake in IAA via RMPP. In the event of no public subscription it will have a indirect 27.48% stake in the Indonesian airline.

    In a separate announcement, AirAsia has proposed an internal reorganisation by exchanging the entire issued share capital of AirAsia Bhd with matching new ordinary shares in a new investment holding company called AirAsia Group Bhd.

    AirAsia Group will assume the listing status of AirAsia Bhd.

    Trading in AirAsia shares was suspended at 2.30pm on Tuesday for the remainder of the trading day. It was up two sen or 0.6% to RM3.33 on volume of 6.13 million shares done.

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  • AirAsia Seeks Back-Door Listing on Indonesia Stock Exchange

    AirAsia Seeks Back-Door Listing on Indonesia Stock Exchange

    The deal, which is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2017, implies RMPP will become the new holding company of Indonesia AirAsia.

    Currently, AirAsia Bhd controls a 49 percent stake in Indonesia AirAsia as foreign ownership in Indonesian airlines is capped at a maximum of 49 percent. The remaining shares in Indonesia AirAsia are controlled by Fersindo Nusaperkasa. The debt-and-share-swap deal implies Fersindo Nusaperkasa also obtains a stake in RMPP. After completion of the deal AirAsia and Fersindo Nusaperkasa will own up to 48 percent and 49.96 percent, respectively, in RMPP.

    Several weeks ago Tony Fernandes, Chief Executive of the Airasia Group, still confirmed the Malaysian group’s plans to conduct an initial public offering (IPO) for its Indonesia AirAsia unit on the Indonesia Stock Exchange before the end of 2017. Therefore, the news about the back-door listing was a surprise.

    Previously, Indonesia AirAsia had already expressed its desire for an IPO in 2016 as it seeks fresh funds for further business expansion (specifically for the purchase of new airplanes and opening of new flight routes). However, domestic and global uncertainty made the airline decide to postpone the corporate move.

  • AirAsia plans flights from Davao to China, South Korea

    AirAsia plans flights from Davao to China, South Korea

    AirAsia expressed interest in expanding its services in the Philippines to include flights from Davao City to key cities in China, Korea and Malaysia, Department of Finance says in statement.

    THe deparment had issued the statement on Monday citing results of meeting between Philippines Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and AirAsia Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.

    Fernandes said on Monday the lowering or scrapping of airport or departure tax in small airports will help realize airline’s expansion plans in Philippines.

    Dominguez will look into possibility of airports selling or leasing gates to airlines at different rates depending on landing times, in lieu of imposing airport taxes.

  • AirAsia and CAE extend business relationship

    AirAsia and CAE extend business relationship

    AirAsia and CAE have concluded a sale and purchase agreement concerning the Asian Aviation Centre of Excellence (AACE), which is currently a 50:50 CAE-AirAsia joint venture. The transaction of US$100 million (including earn-out) will give CAE full control over AACE’s three training centres – located in Sepang, Malaysia; Singapore; and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – as well as its share of the Philippine Academy of Aviation Training (PAAT), a joint-venture training centre between AACE and Cebu Pacific, located in Manila, Philippines.

    “CAE and AirAsia have been close partners since 2004, and we created AACE together in 2011. This new agreement is a natural evolution of our relationship and a win-win for both organizations,” said Marc Parent, CAE President and Chief Executive Officer. “It allows AirAsia to concentrate on its core business by completely outsourcing its training needs to CAE, and it allows CAE to expand its footprint in Asia Pacific, the fastest-growing aviation market.”

    CAE will remain AirAsia Group’s exclusive training partner. The largest low-cost carrier in Asia has extended its existing contract for all training requirements for AirAsia and for that of its affiliates in support of all aircraft types it operates up until 2036.

    “We’ve had CAE as our training partner of choice for many years now and it has been a great success. Our first MPL cadets trained by CAE are now flying as captains, and we put our full trust in CAE to fulfill our training needs at the highest quality level, as we continue to grow,” said Tony Fernandes, Group Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia. “AirAsia is rich in assets but our core business is passenger service and ancillary, and we will continue to regularly dispose of non-core investments and dividend most of it out, subject to board approval. This stake sale is just part of our long-term plan to monetize all our assets. We are also working on several other divestments of valuable assets including our leasing arm, which is imminent.”

    Marc Parent added: “We are very proud of what we have accomplished with AirAsia in creating AACE. We’d like to thank AACE employees for setting the standard and creating a great training experience, and we welcome them to CAE. Together we will continue to shape the future of training.”

    AACE offers training for pilots, cabin crew, maintenance engineers, technicians, and ground services personnel on the Airbus A320, A330, and Boeing B737NG platforms.

    The closing of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. TD Securities acted as financial advisor to CAE.

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  • AirAsia trains crew to spot human traffickers

    AirAsia trains crew to spot human traffickers

    AirAsia, the biggest budget carrier in Asia, is training thousands of its staff to fight human trafficking, becoming one of the first airlines in the continent to crack down on the global crime.

    Companies have come under increased pressure to tackle human trafficking, with an estimated 46 million people living in slavery and profits thought to be about US$150 billion.

    Planes are a key part of the illegal business, as criminal gangs transport thousands of children and vulnerable people by air each year for redeployment as sex workers, domestic helpers or in forced labour.

    The United Nations has urged airlines to step in and look out for the tell-tale signs of trafficking.

    Kuala Lumpur-based AirAsia, which flies millions of passengers annually to more than 110 destinations, said it was planning to train between 5,000 and 10,000 frontline staff, including cabin crew.

    “We like to be able to have our staff know what to do if somebody comes up to them and says ‘I need help’,” said Yap Mun Ching, the executive director of AirAsia Foundation, the airline’s philanthropic arm, which is driving the initiative.

    “Sometimes (the victims) don’t know they have been trafficked. They realise it only when they are on their way and they want to be able to get help. Most of the time they don’t know who to turn to,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

    AirAsia has teamed up with US-based Airline Ambassadors International, a group that trains airline staff on trafficking, for the initiative, which kicked off this week at the airline’s four main hubs – Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Jakarta and Manila.

    All are hotspots for trafficking.

    The group said signs of trafficking include young women or children who appeared to be under the control of others, show indications of mistreatment or who seem frightened, ashamed or nervous.

    The UN Office on Drugs and Crime urged airline bosses at a summit in June to train flight crews to help combat human trafficking, the first time the aviation industry has held global discussion on the issue.

    While some training of airline staff to spot and report potential trafficking is mandatory in the United States, it is not widespread across the industry.

    So far, more than 70,000 US airline staff have been trained under a programme that began in 2013.

    Asia has some of the worst offenders of human trafficking.

    Countries such as Thailand, Myanmar and Laos are listed by the United States on a trafficking watch list for not meeting the minimum standards needed to end the crime.

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  • Najib launches AirAsia’s Langkawi-Shenzhen flight

    Najib launches AirAsia’s Langkawi-Shenzhen flight

    Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak launched AirAsia’s direct flight from here to Shenzhen, China.

    The new route is expected to further develop Langkawi as a world-class tourist destination.

    AirAsia Group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes thanked Najib for officiating the direct flight on Saturday.

    “Last year, the Prime Minister launched our direct flight from Guangzhou to Langkawi.

    “Leadership takes courage and it is courageous leadership shown by the Prime Minister to support AirAsia in reducing the airport tax which for years Malaysia Airports had resisted.

    “Today, we see that value of his brave leadership. Direct international tourists have increased from 83,754 in 2015 to 187,433 in 2016 – an increase of 120 per cent.

    “This represents a contribution of RM300mil to GDP, based on the 12 times multiplier effect,” Fernandes said in his speech.

    He said 2016 was the first time when international tourists outnumbered domestic tourists.

    “We are driven by this and already this year we have flown over a million tourists to Langkawi with our 238 weekly flights from Langkawi.

    “But we want to get to the three million mark and contribute a large part to the Langkawi Development Authority’s (LADA) target of RM9bil revenue.

    “Our vision is that we will make Langkawi as connected as Phuket, if not greater.”

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  • AirAsia Flies Jakarta-Macau Route

    AirAsia Flies Jakarta-Macau Route

    AirAsia, a Malaysian low-cost airline with a branch in Indonesia, made its first Jakarta-Macau flight on Aug. 7.

    Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi has welcomed the new route, saying it will also reinforce Indonesia’s tourism sector.

    “We will continue to support AirAsia in developing new international routes,” Budi said in a statement, adding the ministry has requested airport operators Angkasa Pura I and Angkasa Pura II to cut fees for landing.

    “It will become a stimulus for AirAsia to further develop its routes to various tourism destinations in Indonesia,” he said.

    “This flight is the fifth after our flights to Jakarta from Penang [Malaysia], Singapore, Bangkok [Thailand] and Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia],” AirAsia Indonesia chief executive Dendy Kurniawan said.

    Flights are operated three times a week on the Jakarta-Macau route. In September one more will be added.

    “A fourth of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia in 2016 were brought by Air Asia. The Jakarta-Macau route will improve the connectivity between Indonesia and southern Chinese cities, meaning more tourist arrivals,” Tourism Ministry’s deputy for foreign tourism marketing development.

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  • AirAsia celebrates Asean’s golden jubilee with low fares

    AirAsia celebrates Asean’s golden jubilee with low fares

    AirAsia is celebrating Asean’s 50th anniversary with low fares to all destinations across its regional network.

    The promotion from only RM50 is in conjunction with Asean Day tomorrow, commemorating the founding of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) on 8 August 1967.

    To seize this great offer, simply book on airasia.com or the AirAsia mobile app from Aug 7 to 13 for travel between Aug 7 2017 and Feb 8 2018 to any destination in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos or Vietnam.

    AirAsia Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said, “For 50 years, Asean has inspired us with its message of unity. As Aseanists, we want to return the favour and we hope these low fares will inspire the people of Asean to discover more about the region we call home”, said AirAsia Group Chief Executive Officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.

    AirAsia is proud to be an Asean airline, with operations in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines, and is the only airline that flies direct to all 10 Asean countries.

    AirAsia also offers AirAsia Asean Pass which allows guests to enjoy flights within the region at fixed rates with travel validity up to 60 days.

  • AirAsia X launches Ultimate Xventure contest to boost brand loyalty among Millennials

    AirAsia X launches Ultimate Xventure contest to boost brand loyalty among Millennials

    AirAsia X has launched a contest called Ultimate Xventure for youths aged between 18 and 32 seeking “unforgettable” adventure travel experiences.

    The goal of the contest is to introduce New Zealand as an adventurous destination and encourage millennials to experience what it has to offer. Among the main attractions of New Zealand are extreme adventure sports activities including bungy jumping in Queenstown, skydiving in Lake Taupo/Wanaka and water rafting in Rotorua, which offers travelers with a mix of exhilarating adrenaline, speed and nature.

    The winner of the contest will win a grand Prize of flight tickets to Auckland, New Zealand for four people, a four-day and three-night accommodation and also selected activities during the trip.

    For the first part, the social media Ultimate Xventure contest seeks the most creative pictures or videos of adventure sports activities and contestants are required to upload them on their Instagram with the wittiest captions and the official hashtags #UltimateXventure and #AirAsiaX.

    The social media contest has kicked off on 31 July 2017 and will end on 17 August 2017. The judging process will run from 14 until 17 August where one winner will be selected each day and announced through the Fly FM radio.

    The second part or the finale of the Ultimate Xventure contest which is in collaboration with Sunway will take place on 20 August at Sunway Lagoon Extreme Park. The winners will compete in the games that are lined up for Ultimate Xventure contest, which demonstrate the experiences available in New Zealand fulfilling the requirements of adventure seekers.

    AirAsia group chief commercial officer Siegtraund Teh said, hopefully, the contest will not only help to ignite interest of youngsters to choose New Zealand as an adventurous destination but also to create engaging activities that build AirAsia brand loyalty amongst the millennials.

    “New Zealand offers an unbeatable selection of adventure sports, and only AirAsia X can offer ‘unbeatable’ low fares from Kuala Lumpur to New Zealand for young travelers wanting to experience the thrill of a lifetime,” he added.

    Meanwhile, AirAsia has also launched its inaugural flight from Sarawak’s Kuching to Langkawi this week. The new route will operate with 4 times weekly flights on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

    Spencer Lee, AirAsia head of commercial said, “We are committed to continue growing this hub as Sarawak has a lot to offer beyond a tourism destination. Increasing connectivity into Sarawak is important for us as it is also one of the top preferred investment destinations in Malaysia with Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) attracting investors to set up manufacturing plants on ICT, agriculture, industrial and many more.”

    Lee added, “Last year, we have flown about 3.2 million guests in and out of our Kuching hub and we believe the introduction of the two new routes to and from Kuching namely Pontianak recently and Langkawi now, echoes our commitment in Sarawak.[…].We look forward to strengthen this hub with further connectivity in the future.”

    Celebratory all-in-fares from RM100 one way are available for booking online at airasia.com from now until 13 August 2017 for the travel period between now and 8 February 2018. The promotional fares are also available on AirAsia’s mobile app on iPhone and Android devices, as well as the mobile site at mobile.airasia.com.

    AirAsia now flies to 11 destinations from Kuching with more than 220 weekly flights one way. Besides Langkawi, other destinations are Miri, Sibu, Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Johor Bahru, Kota Bharu, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Pontianak. Fly-Thru guests can also connect to 18 countries from Kuching via its Kuala Lumpur hub such as Thailand, China, Hong Kong, Macao and Indonesia.

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  • AirAsia now flies direct to Sihanoukville

    AirAsia now flies direct to Sihanoukville

    Malaysia-based  low cost carrier AirAsia officially launched its first direct flight from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville International Airport yesterday to cater to the increasing number of tourists keen to visit Cambodia’s coastal areas and enjoy its beaches.

    The inaugural AirAsia flight, with 180 passengers onboard, landed at 1:00 PM and returned back to Kuala Lumpur 40 minutes later, according to a Cambodia Airports press release.

    AirAsia’s four times weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville is its third route into Cambodia, with the airline flying daily to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.

    Spencer Lee, commercial head at AirAsia, said that with the expansion of the airline’s services to Cambodia, AirAsia has become one of the key players in the kingdom’s tourism sector.

    “We are thrilled that our first flight to Sihanoukville marked a milestone with a successful full flight for our 50th unique route. As a truly Asean airline, it is our commitment to drive tourism efforts to all countries that we operate in – especially within the region,” said Mr Lee. 

    “This coastal city in Cambodia presents great potential and dynamic opportunities in terms of tourism, trade and economy. We are happy to be a part of this journey to develop Sihanoukville further,” he added.

    “Our footprint in Cambodia to date would not be possible without the help from local parties and we would like to thank the Cambodian airport authorities for their tremendous support.

    “With Sihanoukville added into our extensive network map of over 120 destinations, we hope to enable this city to be a popular tourist destination that enables travellers from the region to experience a hidden side of Asean that has yet to be discovered.”

    Mr Lee said AirAsia aims to develop Sihanoukville to become a tourist hotspot like how it has introduced unique destinations such as Luang Prabang in Laos, Indonesia’s Banda Aceh and Bhubaneswar in India.

    “Travellers looking to bask in the sun and enjoy the waters can look to the unspoiled tropical island of Koh Rong Samloem for beautiful sandy beaches, jungle mountains, mangrove and marine life. While the most popular beach in Sihanoukville, Ochheuteal Beach, boasts a late night scene with restaurants and bars.”

    Eric Delobel, CEO of Cambodia Airports, said that AirAsia’s direct flights to Sihanoukville would better facilitate Cambodia’s connectivity to all parts of the world.

    “Our successful partnership with AirAsia is moving up another step and it is a key driver in connecting Cambodia to the world,” he added.

    Mr Delobel said Cambodia Airports was keen to attract more airlines to Sihanoukville and for that reason it would inaugurate in early 2018 a new airport terminal and at the same time renovate the airport runway to cater to bigger aircraft.

    Taing Sochet Krisna, director of Sihanoukville provincial tourism department, said that AirAsia will help to promote the image of the country’s coastal area and attract more tourists, investment and trade.

    “Now tourists will be able to fly directly to my province,” he said.

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