01.12.2023 - 05:15 UTC
AirAsia (AK, Kuala Lumpur International) will start flights to Australia on March 11, 2024, operating daily roundtrips between Kuala Lumpur and Perth International. The flights will complement AirAsia X (D7, Kuala Lumpur International) and Thai AirAsia X (XJ, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi) services to and from the country.
"Perth has consistently been one of AirAsia’s most popular destinations," said AirAsia CEO Riad Asmat. "From January 1 to October 30, 2023, approximately 30,000 guests flew from Malaysia to Perth [on AirAsia X]. Based on increasing demand, we believe now is the right time to expand our network into this new market in West Australia. We also anticipate introducing more routes in the region in the near future."
ch-aviation schedules data reveals AirAsia will operate the daily flights using A321-200NX aircraft. The 236-passenger single-class aircraft will take five hours and forty minutes to complete each sector and join Jetstar Airways (JQ, Melbourne Tullamarine) as the only operator of the A321N type into Perth.
Sibling carrier AirAsia X already...
29.11.2023 - 02:34 UTC
AirAsia (AK, Kuala Lumpur International) has leased three A320-200s formerly placed at the now insolvent MYAirline (MYM, Kuala Lumpur Subang). Bo Lingam, chief executive of AirAsia Aviation Group, confirmed the transfer earlier this week while speaking to Malaysia's New Strait Times. AirAsia had formerly expressed interest in picking up any returning aircraft from MYAirline.
AirAsia signed the deal to take the aircraft about a week ago and has paid the necessary deposits, Lingam said, adding that the lessor is Aircastle. ch-aviation research has identified the A320s as 9M-DAB (msn 4126), 9M-DAF (msn 4070), and 9M-DAG (msn 4088). Presently, all three are stored at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
ch-aviation has contacted AirAsia for delivery timeline details.
When MYAirline ceased operations in mid-October, it had nine A320-200s in Kuala Lumpur. Of that number, the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia has since received deregistration requests for several aircraft, namely:
07.11.2023 - 04:46 UTC
Officials from the Malaysian state of Sabah have tempered expectations about it starting its own airline in the immediate future. The step back comes as the neighbouring state of Sarawak pushes ahead with its plans to take over MASwings (MY, Kota Kinabalu).
Last week, Sabah Air Aviation Sdn Bhd (SAASB) chairman Kenny Chau walked back comments made several months ago that Sabah was likely to use SAASB to start its own passenger airline. "Perhaps it will be five years from now […]. That is why it’s a long-term plan," he told local outlets. Chau had previously said the Sabah government would use his state-owned general aviation business to start scheduled passenger flights as early as 2024 using three leased aircraft.
Chau's cautious tone is reportedly due to the recent collapse of MYAirline. He says it reinforces the need for any new startup to have a solid business case. "What happened to MYAirline was due to financial difficulties. That’s why we need a well-thought-out business plan.”
Chau also remains open to doing a deal...
03.11.2023 - 00:37 UTC
The AirAsia brand is looking to expand beyond Southeast Asia with its parent investment holding company, Capital A, announcing it is in the early stages of a USD1 billion business combination merger with Aetherium Acquisition Corp, a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange in New York.
This merger would create Capital A International, a new stand-alone publicly traded brand management, investment and strategic development company in the United States that would leverage the AirAsia brand to focus on investments in aviation, travel, hospitality, and digital technologies. Capital A International will hold 100% equity interest in AirAsia Brand and Leasing, generating revenue from brand royalties and aircraft leasing while also engaging in tactical acquisitions, incubation, and partnerships to provide platforms for entrepreneurs, according to a statement issued on November 1, 2023.
At this stage, a letter of intent has been signed between Capital A Berhad and Aetherium Acquisition Corp. The indicative equity value for the merger is USD1 billion based on the valuation of the AirAsia brand.
Capital A Chief Executive...
