AirAsia Group Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes has flatly rejected reports in the Malaysian media suggesting AirAsia (AK, Kuala Lumpur International) and its longhaul sister carrier AirAsia X (D7, Kuala Lumpur International) could be about to merge.
During a press conference to mark the Group's AGM in Kuala Lumpur last week, Fernandes said the two carrier's operating models were too diverse for such a proposal to be feasible.
“AirAsia’s position is very clear, the board has never discussed this and there is no merger (talks) at all," he was quoted by The Straits Times newspaper.
“The whole purpose of setting up AirAsia X as a separate company is because we believe it should be separated, and 10 years on, we still believe that.
“Short- and long-haul operations are two very different businesses."
AirAsia's operations currently hinge on seventy-three A320ceoo and three A320neo all of which are used to serve seventy-three destinations across Asia.
In contrast, AirAsia X operates a fleet of twenty-two A330-300s on high-demand routes throughout Asia as well as to Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Saudi Arabia, India, and China. Two EVA Air B777-300(ER)s are lined up to be inducted for what is expected to be the carrier's resumption of European flights.
