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Tag: airasia

  • AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines and Batik Air in consumer crosshairs for complaints

    AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines and Batik Air in consumer crosshairs for complaints

    AirAsia received the highest number of complaints in the first half of the year (42.1%), followed by Malaysia Airlines (40.7%) and Batik Air (7.9%). For every million passengers carried, Malaysia Airlines recorded the highest number of registered complaints with 199 complaints, MAVCOM said, followed by Batik Air with 167 complaints and AirAsia with 95 complaints.

    Flight rescheduling, flight cancellations, and online booking collectively contributed to 46.1% (577) of total complaints filed. Other complaints included refunds (7.9%), frequent flyer programs (7.6%), and mishandled baggage (7.3%).

    According to MAVCOM, complaints concerning flight rescheduling jumped tremendously from just eight in the first half of last year to 233 complaints during the same period this year. AirAsia contributed 65% of complaints on flight rescheduling, followed by Malaysia Airlines (30%) and Batik Air (4%).

    At the same time, complaints related to flight cancellation also increased from 14 to 211 complaints compared to the same period last year. Malaysia Airlines contributed 54% of the complaints, followed by AirAsia (36%) and Batik Air (7%). Complaints related to online booking have multiplied more than 13 times from 10 during the first half of 2021 to 133 complaints this year. AirAsia accounted for 47% of the complaints, followed by Malaysia Airlines (32%) and Batik Air (12%).

    Throughout the first half of this year, 1,251 complaints were registered with MAVCOM in total, with 99.1% (1,240) complaints received on airlines while 0.9% (11) complaints were related to airports. According to MAVCOM, this illustrates an increase of almost eight times more than the 157 complaints lodged within the corresponding period last year.

    Additionally, MAVCOM also received 1,317 non-actionable complaints, comprising 1,160 complaints with incomplete documentation, 59 complaints where the airline or airport concerned had fulfilled the obligations under the Malaysian Aviation Consumer Protection Code (MACPC), 35 complaints that were withdrawn by consumers, 31 complaints that were beyond the scope of the MACPC, 29 complaints that pertained to bookings made through travel agents as well as three complaints that were lodged more than a year from the incident date.

    Saripuddin Hj. Kasim, MAVCOM’s executive chairman, said Malaysia’s aviation service providers should prepare by taking heed of the complaints breakdown observed in the consumer report as guidance to improve further service levels and address the root cause of prevailing issues. “As a proactive measure by MAVCOM, we have also been actively engaging aviation service providers to ensure that these issues are being addressed,” he added.

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  • Capital A progressing with AirAsia aviation, Super App New York listing plan

    Capital A progressing with AirAsia aviation, Super App New York listing plan

    Capital A Bhd is progressing with plans for the listing of AirAsia Aviation Group Ltd and AirAsia Super App in New York.

    Chief executive officer (CEO) Tony Fernandes said the company, formerly AirAsia Group Bhd, would probably make the announcement next year.

    “We’re planning the listing of AirAsia Aviation, which is private now, and Super App, that’s progressing but we’ll make announcements in due course,” he told reporters at an recent event.

    AirAsia Aviation comprises AirAsia Malaysia, AirAsia Philippines, AirAsia Thailand and AirAsia Indonesia.

    Capital A held the event at the Silangit International Airport, North Sumatra, Indonesia in conjunction with the inaugural Jakarta-Silangit flight operated by AirAsia Indonesia since Sept 1, 2022.

    Meanwhile, Fernandes said the company would replace its Airbus A320, the narrow-body aircraft fleet, with a more fuel-efficient A321 on the back of the resumption of aircraft delivery in 2024.

    He said 2023 is a year of getting back to its pre-COVID-19 level and regrowing in 2024 with A321, adding that aircraft deliveries up to 2029 have already been financed.

    “Our first goal is to get all our 205 planes flying. We’ve 110 flying now, and by the end of the year, 160 and probably in the first quarter of 2023 all of them,” he said.

    Fernandes said AirAsia expects to carry nearly 40 million passengers this year, about half of the numbers carried in 2019.

    He said the airline’s North Asia market would recover next year as countries loosen travel restrictions with China might gradually open by the middle of next year.

    “Japan is still semi-open, South Korea looks gonna be open soon, and Taiwan is still closed, etc. I think by next year, we begin to recover North Asia as well,” he said. – Bernama

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  • Thai Airasia X to Fly to Australia

    Thai Airasia X to Fly to Australia

    Thai AirAsia X (XJ) will launch new services from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi Airport) to Melbourne and Sydney commencing 1 and 2 December 2022.

    Four weekly flights direct from Bangkok to Sydney Airport depart on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and to Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine) three times a week on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

    The return flights on the same days from Australia to Thailand, start from just A$299.

    Premium flatbeds on both routes are now on sale from A$1,199.

    Thai AirASia will operate 377-seat Airbus A330 aircraft with 12 business-class reclining seats and 365 economy seats, including a quiet zone from rows 7 – 14.

    Mr Tassapon Bijleveld, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Thai AirAsia X, explained that Thailand and Australia have maintained strong relations for over 70 years, noting Australia is among the

    top three educational destinations for Thai students as well as a leading travel destination for Thai tourists.

    “Thai AirAsia X is very excited to be adding Sydney and Melbourne as two key destinations in Australia this year.

    “Thais love Australia and Australians love Thailand and we are confident that these new and direct services will prove popular.

    Mr Bijleveld added that other Australian destinations such as Perth were on the airline’s radar.

    Australia remains a key market for the AirAsia brand. Malaysia-based AirAsia X, the affiliate long haul sister airline of Thai AirAsia X, has also recently announced new direct services from Kuala

    Lumpur to Sydney commencing 9 September and to Perth, Melbourne and Auckland (via Sydney) which begin in November this year.

  • AirAsia India becomes the first airline in India to use the revolutionary AI-powered CAE Rise Training System

    AirAsia India becomes the first airline in India to use the revolutionary AI-powered CAE Rise Training System

    AirAsia India and CAE have announced their collaboration to integrate the CAE Rise Training System into the airline’s simulator training program. AirAsia India is the first airline in India to adopt a data-driven training program using CAE Rise™.

    CAE Rise leverages analytics to deliver a higher quality of training, providing real-time data during training sessions while giving instructors insights that enable them to assess a pilot’s technical competencies and performance objectively. As long-time collaborators, AirAsia and CAE have worked together since 2014 on pilot training at CAE network training centers.

    “This collaboration uniquely incorporates CAE’s distinct features, which enable a more robust data-driven training program for our pilots,” said Capt. Manish Uppal, Head of Operations, AirAsia India. “At AirAsia India, we continue to be at the forefront of integrating technology and ensuring that safety is paramount in every aspect of our training and operations.”

    “With Indian regulator DGCA aiming to make Evidence-Based Training (EBT) implementation mandatory, CAE Rise will be a key tool in collecting data to support a smooth EBT implementation and practice,” said Capt. Arun Nair, Chief Pilot Training & Standard, AirAsia India.

    “We are thrilled that AirAsia India will leverage the benefits of CAE Rise™ for their pilot training,” said Nick Leontidis, CAE’s Group President, Civil Aviation. “With CAE Rise™, AirAsia India is investing in the development of their pilots and the safety of their passengers.”

    Launched in 2018, the CAE Rise training system is a technological innovation that enables the translation of simulator training data into valuable insights for instructors and training managers. This new training system compares independent sources to provide increased confidence in grading data quality. In addition to monitoring SOP compliance, CAE Rise augments each instructor’s capability to identify pilot proficiency gaps and evolve training programs to the most advanced aviation safety standards including AQP, ATQP, and EBT methodologies.

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  • AirAsia X swings to operating loss in fourth quarter

    AirAsia X swings to operating loss in fourth quarter

    AirAsia X posted an operating loss in its financial fourth quarter, as it warns of headwinds such as high fuel prices amid a return in travel demand.

    For the three months to 30 June, the long-haul, low-cost operator was MYR691 million ($154 million) in the red, reversing the operating profit it posted in the previous quarter, where its earnings were boosted by a write-back related to restructuring.

    Revenue for the quarter was MYR107 million, the bulk of which – at MYR96.8 million – came from cargo services.

    Owing to a change in its financial year, the carrier did not provide figures for the previous corresponding period in 2021.

    However, in its results statement or the three months to 30 June 2021, AirAsia X was deeper in the red, posting an operating loss of MYR24.5 billion. Revenue for that quarter stood at MYR72 million.

    The Malaysia-based airline’s cash burn continues during the quarter, where it ended the period with MYR22 million. This is significantly lower than the MYR68 million it began the quarter with.

    As for affiliates, Thai AirAsia X – itself in business restructuring – was MYR41.5 million in the red, while Indonesia AirAsia X, which has suspended operations, posted a MYR1.5 million loss.

    AirAsia X is in the process of restarting passenger operations after being grounded during the pandemic. The carrier previously told FlightGlobal it intends to restart one-stop London operations by around Christmas, after a hiatus of over a decade. Other cities include Istanbul, Dubai and Jeddah.

    “The planned routes have been taken into account on routes with high cargo loads and demand, which will contribute positively towards the financial performance of the company,” says AirAsia X.

    It warns of challenges in the current operating environment, including high fuel prices, the weakening of the Malaysian Ringgit against the US Dollar, as well as the slower-than-expected reopening of key North Asian markets like China and Japan.

  • AirAsia and Malaysia Airports Resolve Their Legal Disputes

    AirAsia and Malaysia Airports Resolve Their Legal Disputes

    In an attempt to revive air travel in the country, AirAsia and Malaysia Airports Holdings have decided to end all of their legal disputes. The two parties released a joint statement a few days ago saying that they have found “common ground to reach an amicable outcome” for their multiple disputes and plan to work together for the recovery of the industry.

    On August 10th, Capital A Berhad (the holding company of AirAsia Aviation Group Limited) and Malaysia Airports Holdings announced that they have mutually agreed to end all of their legal disputes for the sake of the country’s travel and tourism industry.

    Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) Managing Director, Dato’ Iskandar Mizal Mahmood said,

    “We are pleased to confirm that all parties are dropping proceedings. There are no longer any legal proceedings or material litigation from MAHB against AirAsia Berhad/AirAsia X Berhad.”

    Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes was also happy with the decision and added,

    “As the world recovers from the pandemic, and substantial losses in the aviation sector in particular, it is integral that all stakeholders work together to stimulate the air travel revival. As two major players driving the aviation ecosystem, it is more important than ever that MAHB and our Malaysian based airlines AirAsia Berhad and AirAsia X Berhad, show solidarity in making Malaysia’s aviation industry competitive and attractive again.”

    The parties involved are believed to have put their differences aside for the benefit and success of all the aviation stakeholders, such as airlines, airports, and passengers, and to stimulate Malaysia’s tourism and economic growth.

    According to ch-aviation, one of the lawsuits was filed by the airport group for outstanding Passenger Service Charge payments amounting to MYR41.55 million ringgit (USD9.1 million) against AirAsia and AirAsia X.

    But the airline group contested that the airport operator had revised the fees in 2016, breaching a contract between the two sides.

    Another dispute involved the two LCCs filing a case against Malaysia Airports alleging losses and damages sustained between 2014 and 2018 due to negligence, multiple disruptions, and poor conditions at KLIA2, the second terminal at Kuala Lumpur airport where these airlines operate

    Spending time and resources on court cases is never an easy decision, more so in the wake of the pandemic, which crushed the airline industry in the last two years. But there have been green shoots lately as various stakeholders commit to bringing the industry back to good health.

    Tourism Malaysia is encouraging various programs and events such as the ‘World Top Gourmet Awards 2022’ and other similar initiatives to bring back tourist revenue and strengthen the economy. For that, there must be a cordial relationship between the country’s major airline group and airports.

    With the disputes ending, the hope is that AirAsia’s main hub at Kuala Lumpur International Airport will work seamlessly and be more affordable for millions of passengers each year.

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  • AirAsia rolls out welcome back campaign

    AirAsia rolls out welcome back campaign

    AirAsia Thailand unveils its latest advertising campaign, “Missing Moment”, building on its “Unseen Caring” concept, which became particularly important during the Covid-19 pandemic.

    AirAsia Thailand head of commercial Tansita Akrarittipirom remarked: “The new campaign is based on the fact that during the Covid-19 pandemic, everyone experienced “missing moments” especially being away from their friends and loved ones, and the places and destinations that give meaning to their lives.

    “We have received a positive response since returning to domestic and international service, with many guests telling us about how they missed sitting in the cabin and setting off on a journey. They even miss our cabin crew asking them to turn off their mobile devices and fasten their seat belts. This inspired us to create this campaign. We want to tell our guests that we are also delighted to be able to serve and glad to welcome them onboard once again,” Tansita added.

    AirAsia Thailand is rebuilding its extensive network to offer the best connectivity, both domestic and internationally, to 11 countries spanning Asean, India, Maldives and Hong Kong for a total of 22 destinations and more than 24 routes.

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  • AirAsia signs partnership with Skyports to explore air taxi feasibility

    AirAsia signs partnership with Skyports to explore air taxi feasibility

    AirAsia has announced that its Advanced Air Mobility division has signed a letter of intent with Skyports Infrastructure to explore the development of air taxi infrastructure in Malaysia. This is a development of a report from last March, where AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes said that the company has plans to launch a flying taxi service by 2022.

    AirAsia’s Advanced Air Mobility is a dedicated unit of AirAsia Aviation Group, which is the aviation arm of Capital A. Meanwhile, Skyports is a developer of infrastructure for advanced air mobility (AAM), and the newly established partnership between both companies is seen as an important next step in setting up a fully operation vertiport network in the country.

    Unlike conventional airports used by traditional airline operators, a vertiport is dedicated to aircrafts that land and take off vertically. VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) aircraft, as they are called, require less room to operate, and AirAsia already announced last year that one of its future plans is to lease 100 Vertical Aerospace VX4 eVTOL (electric powered) from Avolon. The company also has its drone training program which has been extended to high-technology-related sectors.

    The VX4 features a powertrain with 1 MW of output and is said to be 100 times quieter than a helicopter. It’s capable of traveling at speeds of up to 325 km/h (202 mph), has a range of over 161 km (100 miles) and can carry five passengers (including one pilot).

    During the one-year partnership, both parties will focus on joint feasibility studies for the integration of air taxi vertiport infrastructure, the identification of potential vertiport sites, and the development of operational requirements and frameworks to ultimately implement a vertiport network in Malaysia – initial assessments will prioritise Kuala Lumpur.

    “Following the announcement of our venture into the urban air taxi service earlier this year, we have been working around the clock to explore its feasibility in Malaysia. This partnership with Skyports will accelerate the review of the infrastructure including vertical take-off and landing platforms in the country as well as strengthen our potential as a zero-emissions ultra-short-haul air travel provider in Southeast Asia,” said AirAsia Aviation Group chief safety officer and head of AAM Ling Liong Tien.

    “We are excited to be partnering with AirAsia, a powerhouse airline operator that brings great synergy to our work at Skyports. This partnership highlights the steady progress of AAM development and interest in Malaysia and the wider APAC region. With innovative and forward-looking partners like AirAsia, we will be able to take concrete steps towards the realisation of a safe, efficient and fully-integrated air taxi network which brings real benefits to the people and communities it serves,” commented Yun-Yuan Tay, head of Asia Pacific, Skyports.

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  • Airasia Super App achieves record high growth in average monthly active users

    Airasia Super App achieves record high growth in average monthly active users

    Capital A Berhad‘s digital businesses airasia Super App achieved a record high growth in average monthly active users (MAU) which stood at 10.6 million in the second quarter of 2022, up 236 percent compared to the same period last year.

    Capital A said in a statement on Monday the growth is primarily underpinned by the strong return of travel and increased user acquisition on the mobile app.

    Additionally, the number of transactions increased 70 percent for quarter on quarter comparison and climbed five times as compared to the second quarter last year. These were driven primarily by increasing transactions from flights, airasia ride, FlyBeyond, and SUPER+.

    Meanwhile, BigPay reached 1.2 million carded users in the second quarter, a 62 percent increase from the same period last year.

    This was mainly driven by strong market adoption over the past year and throughout this year in line with the travel recovery and the expansion of product offerings, such as DuitNow payments and transfers, additional remittance corridors, and one of the first digital lending products in Malaysia.

    For Capital A’s logistics business, Teleport transported slightly lower cargo tonnage by 27 percent year on year due to the extended lockdowns imposed in China that began in March.

    Delivery, on the other hand, improved significantly, up 630 percent year on year.

    Teleport achieved a record-breaking total of 1.15 million deliveries in the second quarter. This was in part due to Teleport’s onboarding of a large new ecommerce platform in the second quarter which accounted for 10 percent of delivery volume.

    The new platform is expected to boost growth in the industry significantly with Teleport’s robust expansion plans across the region this year.

    Capital A consolidated airlines continues to post significant performance improvement, with a notable load factor of 84 percent, akin to its pre-pandemic levels, signalling that air travel revival is well underway.

    The consolidated airlines carried over 5.6 million passengers, a 633 percent increase year-on-year and 48 percent increase quarter-on-quarter.

    The consolidated airlines flew more than 35,000 flights in the quarter, up 483 percent year on year compared to the same period last year, supported by the growing domestic demand and the resumption of international travel in ASEAN countries.

    Correspondingly, available seat kilometres (ASK) rose by 456 percent year on year and revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) increased by 582 percent year on year.

    In the second quarter, total operating aircraft for AirAsia Malaysia, AirAsia Indonesia and AirAsia Philippines were 45, 12 and 8 respectively.

    AirAsia Malaysia posted a stronger load factor of 84 percent in the second quarter, up by 20 percentage points (ppts) year on year and 10 ppts quarter on quarter.

    Passengers carried and capacity increased significantly by 1276 percent year on year and 955 percent year on year to 3.8 million and 4.6 million respectively, with more operating aircraft added to support the huge surge in demand for both domestic and international flights.

    Load factor for international flights achieved 81 percent with 31 additional destinations reinstated and the highest number of international passengers carried post pandemic, attributed mainly from Malaysia-Singapore routes, followed by Malaysia-Indonesia and Malaysia-India routes.

    AirAsia Indonesia, meanwhile, recorded an encouraging load factor of 77 percent in the second quarter, an increase of 10 ppts year on year.

    Domestic flights achieved a healthy load factor at 73 percent while the load factor for international flights was stronger at 86 percent.

    Passengers carried and capacity improved by 132 percent year on year and 102 percent year on year respectively, on the back of the resumption of international flights, with 29 percent of the total number of seats sold from international flights.

    The number of flights flown has also increased by 102 percent year on year.

    AirAsia Philippines, on the other hand, posted the highest load factor among the group’s airlines at 93 percent, which grew by 15 ppts year on year.

    In the second quarter, the number of passengers carried increased by 480 percent year on year and capacity expanded 388 percent year on year.

    Flight frequencies were added on popular routes to meet strong demand which increased ASKs by 309 percent and the number of flights flown jumped 388 percent year on year.

    In June, AirAsia Philippines resumed international routes to Kota Kinabalu, Seoul, Hong Kong and Guangzhou.

    In the second quarter, AirAsia Thailand carried over 1.7 million passengers, up 133 percent year on year with a load factor of 75 percent, rising 14 ppts compared to the prior corresponding period.

    The airline added flight frequencies and routes to meet rising demand, resulting in an 87 percent increase in flights flown, to a total of 12,326 flights with 25 operating aircraft during the quarter.

    More international flights were reinstated during the quarter, operating 19 routes to 8 countries by the end of the second quarter.

    As a result, the ASK and seating capacity significantly rose by 116 percent and 90 percent respectively as compared to the same period last year.

    Additionally, the average sector length grew by 16 percent, mainly driven by flights from the South Asian market.

  • AirAsia X adds three new routes

    AirAsia X adds three new routes

    AirAsia X confirms its latest services to Melbourne (Tullamarine), and Perth in Australia and Auckland in New Zealand will launch on 1 November 2022.

    The three new services boost the airline’s routes to 13. It is already serving  Sydney, New Delhi, Seoul, Tokyo, Sapporo, Osaka and Honolulu, as well as London, Dubai and Istanbul.

    AAX will recommence its services to Melbourne (Tullamarine), Perth and Auckland (via Sydney) with three weekly flights starting in November and gradually increasing to daily flights by the first quarter of 2023.

    On the AirAsia Super App and website, the starting fare to Perth is MYR 499, to Melbourne  MYR699 and Auckland MYR999 (inclusive one-way economy). Premium Flatbed fares start from MYR1,999 to Perth, MYR2,999 to Melbourne and MYR5,999 to Auckland.

    Guests flying to Kuala Lumpur can also enjoy all-in value fares one way from AUD209 from Perth, AUD359 from Melbourne, and NZD499 from Auckland in economy class.

    AAX also flies from Kuala Lumpur to Sydney with all-in fares from MYR899 (economy) and MYR2,799 (Premium Flatbed) one-way.

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  • AirAsia launched food delivery and ride-hailing in the Philippines

    AirAsia launched food delivery and ride-hailing in the Philippines

    Malaysia-based multinational low-cost airline AirAsia has expanded its portfolio by including two new businesses set to launch in the Philippines’ capital, Manila, by the end of 2022.

    AirAsia Super App will soon operate a ride hailing and food delivery service after it already secured a franchise from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) for its ride-hailing service.

    The app officially launched in the Philippines in April 2021 and expanded its services to other Asian markets, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand.

    The platform offers a full suite of services and comes with an integrated rewards programme and a mobile app. It offers affordable flight and hotel bookings, ecommerce capabilities, food and parcel delivery, ride hailing, financial and health services, as well as on-demand education, among others.

    The super app AirAsia aims to boost digitalisation in the APAC region while setting the tone for a cashless economy and catering to the underbanked population category.

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  • AirAsia X Eyes A Return To New Zealand

    AirAsia X Eyes A Return To New Zealand

    AirAsia X, the medium to long-haul affiliate airline of AirAsia Aviation Group, is launching flights to Auckland, New Zealand, via Australia. The announcement is the latest from the Kuala Lumpur International (KUL) based airline, which will offer seats to several new destinations as it returns from a significant restructuring.

    The Malaysian airline resumed operations earlier this year and currently serves Seoul and New Delhi from its base in Kuala Lumpur.

    AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail has confirmed that the carrier aims to restart flights to Australian destinations Melbourne and Perth, as well as a route to Auckland, New Zealand, via Australia.

    Adding a round-trip leg to New Zealand from Australia is quite a common practice. The flights are able to use fifth-freedom rights to carry on to New Zealand as opposed to parking the plane at an Australian airport for the day. Qatar Airways, for instance, flies to Auckland via Adelaide on one of the OneWorld carrier’s Boeing 777-300ERs. AirAsia X did not mention which airport would see the stopover service carry on to New Zealand.

    The airline previously operated flights to Auckland via Gold Coast Airport in Queensland but cut the Auckland leg of this service in February 2019. AirAsia X also launched direct flights to Christchurch in 2011 as the island was recovering from severe earthquake damage and donated a six-figure sum to help with restoration. The 11-hour flight lasted less than a year before being cut in early 2012.

    AirAsia X briefly restarted Sydney flights on Valentine’s Day of this year. The service only continued until April, however. Flights are now scheduled to resume in September of this year. The carrier previously flew from Kuala Lumpur to Sydney, carrying one million of some 2.4 passengers flying between the two countries in 2019.

    The airline has also now scheduled flights to resume to Tokyo Haneda on the 14th of July. The service will join the resumption of Osaka, also in Japan, in October. The Osaka flights will then continue to Honolulu before returning. Flights to Sapporo, the capital of the mountainous northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, will resume in December.

    The airline still has several next generation Airbus jets on order as it seeks to rebuild its network. Photo: AirAsia x

    AirAsia X also announced it intends to resume its London service, which will operate from Kuala Lumpur to London Gatwick via Dubai. The carrier initially launched the route to London Stansted Airport in 2009 using Airbus A340s before pulling it in January 2012. The service will include a layover in Dubai and launch in conjunction with a service to Istanbul.

    The airline’s fleet currently consists of twelve Airbus A330-300 aircraft, which seat 365 in economy class and 12 passengers in business class. AirAsia X currently has orders for twenty of the Airbus A321 family, alongside fifteen A330-900s for its upcoming long-haul service.

    Simple Flying previously reported that AirAsia X had canceled part of its sizeable outstanding order with Airbus. AirAsia X, the largest customer for the A330-900, has confirmed the cancellation of 63 A330neo orders, equaling a fifth of outstanding orders for the type. The airline also canceled ten A321neo aircraft orders, according to the latest available data from Airbus.

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  • AirAsia introduces trial flights to China

    AirAsia introduces trial flights to China

    AirAsia Thailand (flight code FD) will launch direct flights to China and Hong Kong from its Bangkok Don Mueang airport hub starting 7 August. Initially, the low-cost airline will fly a weekly service but hopes to increase flights to twice a week in September and three times weekly in October.

    Promotional fares start at around THB2,990 one-way for members for travel up to 8 December 2022 booked through the AirAsia Super App. A pilot roundtrip flight between Bangkok Don Mueang and Guangzhou is scheduled for 13 July, with tickets to Thailand available on the AirAsia Super App. The flight is being carried out to demonstrate the carrier’s readiness to serve routes to and from China as soon as China announces the country’s official reopening for outbound leisure travel.

    AirAsia Thailand chief executive officer Santisuk Klongchaiya stated: “These two initial routes provide us with an opportunity to welcome visitors to Thailand. With restrictions further relaxed in Thailand, we have been marketing heavily in China and Hong Kong to tap these tourism markets.”

    Travelers to Hong Kong are required to undergo screening procedures. Arriving travellers must be fully vaccinated. They must produce a Covid-19 test result and are required to undergo quarantine. The Don Mueang-Guangzhou flight will be subject to a policy by the China government, which has allotted a limited entry quota to Thai airlines.

    So far, China has offered no indications as to when it will reopen outbound tourism. However, industry pundits claim the reopening could be as early as the Chinese New Year holiday season in late January or February 2023. Travel to and from China is strictly controlled and mainly limited to essential business travel.

  • AirAsia X Eyes A Return To London After 10 Year Break

    AirAsia X Eyes A Return To London After 10 Year Break

    The Malaysia-based low-cost long-haul carrier has stated its intention to resume services between Kuala Lumpur and London later this year, after a decade away. Let’s look a little deeper into the airline’s latest announcement.

    In what the airline is calling “a new era for low-cost, long-haul travel”, AirAsia X (IATA D7 / ICAO XAX) has announced that it will resume flying from Kuala Lumpur to London later this year.

    Along with other new services to Dubai and Instanbul, the decision to resume flying between the capital cities of Malaysia and the UK comes as the airline gears up following several years of stagnation and a suspension of flights. The announcement comes hot on the heels of the airline celebrating the launch of four other new routes to Japan and Hawaii, which are all on sale from today.

    AirAsia X now offers flights across seven routes from Kuala Lumpur to New Delhi, Sydney, Seoul (Incheon), Tokyo (Haneda), Sapporo (Chitose), Osaka (Kansai), and from Osaka (Kansai) to Honolulu. All flights are operated by the carrier’s fleet of 13 Airbus A330-300s, which offer both economy and premium class cabins.

    Although the exact start date and timings are yet to be revealed for the newly-announced London services, they are expected to be in late 2022. The airline previously served London up until 2012, serving London Stansted Airport. The airline has not disclosed its preference for which London airport it will serve at this stage for the new services.

    The additional flights to London, Dubai, and Istanbul will bring the total number of destinations served by the carrier into double figures for the first time. It is also widely expected that the airline will announce new services from Malaysia to both Perth and Melbourne in Australia in the near future.

    Commenting on the latest announcement regarding the new services, the CEO of AirAsia X, Benjamin Ismail, said,

    “We are back, better and stronger than ever. We have spent the downtime in flying reviewing every aspect of the operation to deliver even greater value and choice for medium and long-haul travel. Now that international borders are reopening across the world, we are able to resume operations to our most popular destinations, including Australia, Japan, Hawaii, India, and South Korea first.

    Today’s announcement of the resumption of four routes to Japan and Hawaii and to launch flights to London, Istanbul, and Dubai is just the beginning. We have many more destinations in the pipeline, which we will announce soon, to meet strong pent-up demand.”

    With the backing of principal investor Capital A behind it, AirAsia X appears to have an exciting few years ahead after a two-year hiatus. There are also plans to expand further. The airline also has an outstanding order with Airbus for 15 A330-900 Neo aircraft, which will provide the airline with additional payload and range capabilities going forward.

    Speaking about the rebirth of the carrier and its future aspirations, Capital A President (Commercial) Colin Currie said,

    “Today’s announcement marks a new era for our long-haul affiliate AirAsia X which is resuming operations after a two-year hiatus, with refreshed branding to signal a fresh new start. The relaunched AirAsia X stands for maximum value, maximum experience, and maximum destinations.

    However, the ethos of AirAsia – delivering low-cost, high quality will continue to underpin the new-look AirAsia X, providing maximum opportunity for everyone to go to their dream destinations. Capital A will support AirAsia X moving forward as a conduit to leverage synergies within our broad ecosystem of travel and lifestyle products.

    e will use our full resources, including the AirAsia Super App, our cargo business Teleport, fintech arm BigPay, and all of the other airlines in the AirAsia Aviation Group to take AirAsia to new heights.”

    The last couple of years have been tough for AirAsia X and its investors. Its fleet was effectively mothballed while its finances were reorganized and the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe.

    However, the airline is bullish about its future and product offerings with new investment, new branding, and a clear desire to return to its former heydays as a low-cost, long-haul pioneer.

    Speaking of the optimism he holds for the airline from this point, Benjamin Ismail added,

    “The return to London and first-time flights direct to Dubai and Istanbul will be a gamechanger for great value long-haul travel, and these will be on sale soon for travel later this year. As our services grow, we will continue to bring our fleet of aircraft out of hibernation, and we can look forward to gradually bringing our valued pilots and cabin crew who were on furlough back.

    I am confident that our resumed or new services will prove very popular and that we will return to pre-Covid capacity on some of our core routes within the next 12 months. Our strategic new model, combining cargo and passengers, enables AirAsia X to fly profitably where other airlines may not be able to, which makes operations to longer-haul routes like Dubai, Istanbul, and London commercially viable and more affordable for our guests at the same time.”

    As demand for low-cost, long-haul travel appears to be on the rise, it will be good to see a former trailblazer of the model return to form. AirAsia X and others such as Norse Atlantic and Scoot will be working hard to carve out niches as a new age of travel emerges post-pandemic.

    Having traditionally been a difficult market to crack, only time will tell whether the appetite for low-cost, long-haul travel is robust enough to sustain operations in the long term. But with more and more operators willing to give it a go, there are certainly signs that momentum is growing for such services. It is this momentum that AirAsia X, with today’s announcement, is showing a great deal of enthusiasm to exploit.
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  • AirAsia Will Use Descent Optimization Technology For More Efficient Flights

    AirAsia Will Use Descent Optimization Technology For More Efficient Flights

    AirAsia plans to introduce Airbus’s innovative fuel-saving software modification known as Descent Profile Optimization (DPO) to its A320ceo aircraft commencing this month.

    The airline said the enhancement to the aircraft’s on-board flight management system (FMS) performance database offers the ability to generate fuel savings and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The improvement has been previously introduced in LATAM Airlines’s operations, and the FAA has introduced new optimized descent profiles into some US operations.

    Optimization of an aircraft’s flight trajectory is one of the key factors in improving flight operations efficiency. The DPO function allows the aircraft to optimize the descent phase of the flight and descend from cruise altitude using only idle engine thrust. This minimizes the amount of time spent at an inefficient level off (when the aircraft’s engines generate thrust to maintain level flight in dense air before final landing approach), resulting in the reduction of fuel consumption and proportional CO2 and NOx emissions.

    AirAsia commented on the initiative, saying,

    “The new initiative is set to reduce fuel consumption and improve the fuel efficiency by up to 0.75% of fuel burn, which is equivalent to saving 101 kg of CO2 emissions per flight. … This could reduce CO2 emissions by over 221 tonnes per aircraft per year, representing a considerable contribution to more sustainable flight operations,”

    The airline also confirmed that the DPO will be installed initially on 17 A320ceo aircraft. It is expected to save 3,764 tonnes of CO2 per year, or the equivalent of 62,700 urban trees planted.

    AirAsia has set its goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. And as the traveling market is recovering, AirAsia expects to get back to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2022.

    Bo Lingam, Group CEO of AirAsia Aviation Group Limited (AAAGL), said:

    “Given the reality of climate change and the airline industry’s contribution to emissions, reducing our carbon footprint is currently one of our top sustainability priorities and we look forward to further reducing an additional 221 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per aircraft each year with the DPO system we are implementing.”

    AirAsia also plans to gradually upgrade its fleet to a higher capacity and more fuel-efficient A321neo in the longer term.

    Besides the DPO, AirAsia said it has implemented several other key efficiency initiatives from Airbus to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions, such as”

    • SETWA (Single Engine Taxi Without APU) which allows the aircraft to operate only one engine during the taxi phase of flight instead of both engines,
    • Idle Reverse Landing, which allows the aircraft to use idle engine thrust upon landing instead of powered thrust to reduce noise and fuel burn, and
    • the Required Navigation Performance-Authorization Required (RNP-AR) approach, which allows the airline uses the aircraft’s advanced navigation capabilities instead of conventional ground-based equipment for the shortest landing approach.

    Bo Lingam, Group CEO of AirAsia, commented,

    “It is important that we review our climate strategy and put in place new mechanisms and processes that will help to minimize the environmental impact of our flight operations.”

    In 2021, it was estimated that by applying the above improvements, AirAsia would avoid emitting 11,175 tonnes of CO2, equivalent to planting 186,250 urban trees.