News2020-05-05T22:16:35+08:00

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AirAsia X Announces Strategic Acquisition of Capital A’s Aviation Business

SEPANG, 8 January 2024 – AirAsia X (AAX) announced today that it has entered into a non-binding letter of acceptance with Capital A for the proposed acquisitions of its aviation businesses, namely AirAsia Berhad and AirAsia Aviation Group Limited.

The strategic move positions AAX to become the overarching regional aviation provider for all short and medium-haul routes under the AirAsia brand name. This groundbreaking acquisition is expected to provide unparalleled advantages, including a strengthened market position, increased operational efficiency, and ultimately driving cost savings and enhanced financial performance.

AirAsia X Chairman, Dato’ Fam Lee Ee said: “These strategic acquisitions serve as pivotal milestones in AAX’s post-PN17 revival strategy, bolstering our financial stability and enhancing our market positioning. The consolidation under the AirAsia brand as a one-listed entity reflects our commitment to capitalise on our regained strength and market confidence to deliver a unified and unparalleled travel experience for our guests and significant value for our shareholders.”

AirAsia solidifies Kota Kinabalu as its second-largest hub in Malaysia with new route to Seoul

SEPANG, 5 December 2023 – AirAsia today reaffirms Kota Kinabalu as its second-largest hub in Malaysia with the launch of its new route connecting Kota Kinabalu to Seoul (Incheon), South Korea. With the addition of Seoul, AirAsia Malaysia (AK) will fly to a total of 18 routes with 282 flights weekly from/to Kota Kinabalu from March 2024 onwards.

The new route will commence operations on 4 March 2024 with daily frequencies, making it even easier for travellers to explore the captivating cultural attractions, scenic beauty, and culinary delights of both destinations with great value fares.

This announcement comes on the heels of an impressive surge in Korean tourists visiting Sabah. According to recent data, Sabah welcomed about 150,000 Korean tourists this year, signalling a significant increase in the number of Korean visitors to the state. In addition, Koreans have now become one of Sabah’s top visitors, emphasising their growing interest in the state’s natural beauty and unique cultural experiences.

AirAsia Malaysia CEO, Riad Asmat said: “We are thrilled to be the first Malaysian airline to connect Kota Kinabalu directly to Seoul. This route holds immense potential for both leisure and business travellers, offering them affordable access to two remarkable tourism destinations. The launch of this route also aligns with our vision of connecting communities across Asia, fostering economic growth, and enhancing regional integration.

AirAsia adds over 5 million seats for flights between China, India and Malaysia in 2024

SEPANG, 27 November 2023 – AirAsia today announced a significant increase in services between China-Malaysia and India-Malaysia, totalling an impressive 230 weekly flights starting in the first quarter of 2024, with up to 5.2 million seats per year.

The significant increase in capacity via AirAsia Malaysia (airline code AK) and AirAsia X Malaysia (airline code D7) comes in response to the anticipated surge in travel demand following the Malaysian government’s announcement of a 30-day visa-free entry for travellers from China and India into Malaysia starting 1 December 2023.

Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes said: “This is a huge, much-anticipated news not only for AirAsia but for the country, and we truly thank the Malaysian government, particularly Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, for this forward-thinking initiative. AirAsia has been at the forefront of trying to make visiting Malaysia easier. The 30-day visa-free entry for the citizens of China and India will surely provide a welcome boost for Malaysia’s tourism and its economy ahead of the upcoming peak travel season while boosting economic bonds between these great nations. As a vital player in the aviation sector, we stand ready to add capacity to support the demand for affordable and accessible air travel in the region.”

AirAsia reaffirms position as Asia’s Best Low Cost Airline for 2023

AirAsia reaffirms position as Asia’s Best Low Cost Airline for 2023

AirAsia Group airlines and AirAsia X Group airlines take out the award again.

SEPANG, 31 May 2023 – The AirAsia group of airlines including Malaysia AirAsia, Thai AirAsia, AirAsia Philippines and medium haul affiliates AirAsia X Malaysia and Thai AirAsia X have been awarded the Top LCC in Asia by AirlineRatings.com in its annual Airline Excellence Awards.

AirlineRatings.com Editor-in-Chief, Geoffrey Thomas said that the win was “richly deserved.”Mr. Fernandes and AirAsia X Malaysia chief executive Benyamin Ismail have done an outstanding job guiding the airlines to their market dominant position.”

Capital A CEO, Tony Fernandes said: “This is truly humbling after the past few through most turbulent years in aviation history and we thank the experts at AirlineRatings.com for their continued support and honouring aviation excellence.”

Here we come! AirAsia X expands China network with flights to Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou

AirAsia X flight crew celebrating the inaugural flight to Beijing, China at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (Terminal 2) yesterday, on 30 March 2023.

SEPANG, 31 March 2023 – Following the recent recommencement of services to Shanghai and Hangzhou earlier this month, AirAsia X (AAX) continues to expand its China network with two weekly flights to Beijing, which resumed yesterday, on 30 March 2023.

AirAsia X Malaysia CEO, Benyamin Ismail said: “Our service resumption to Beijing reflects our commitment to boosting our network in China, which has historically always been one of our biggest and most popular markets and providing our guests with more options to travel affordably from/to Kuala Lumpur.

“We are also looking at ramping up the frequency to four weekly flights starting 1st June 2023 to meet growing forecast demand, further boosting exchanges between the world’s second largest economy and Asean, and the region’s tourism recovery.”

“More expansion in China is on the horizon for AAX as we plan to relaunch more routes and introduce more unique, less travelled destinations in China in the near future.”

AirAsia X returns to the Gold Coast as the only carrier flying directly between Malaysia and Queensland

(From left) Dato’ Fam Lee Ee, AirAsia X Board of Director; Amelia Evans, Queensland Airports Limited CEO; Stirling Hinchliffe, Queensland Minister for Tourism, Innovation and Sport; Benyamin Ismail, AirAsia X CEO; and Karen Bolinger, Destination Gold Coast Interim CEO at the Gold Coast Airport to celebrate the resumption of AirAsia X flight from Kuala Lumpur to Gold Coast today.

GOLD COAST, 1 April 2023 – AirAsia X (AAX), Asia’s leading medium-haul low-cost airline today launched the long-awaited resumption of services to its first-ever route to Gold Coast, Australia, after a hiatus of more than two years due to the pandemic.

Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said AirAsia X was predicted to generate AUD45.6 million for the Gold Coast’s visitor economy.
“We’re backing AirAsia X because of the airline’s commitment to increasing its Gold Coast flight schedule to five days a week by the end of the year. AirAsia X is a terrific investment in the Gold Coast’s visitor economy and the 450 good Queensland jobs these services will support.” Mr Hinchliffe said.

AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismai said today is an incredibly important day for AAX as it returns to the Gold Coast – its first ever route which was launched in November 2007.
“The Gold Coast will always hold a special place in our hearts and what makes this announcement even more of a major milestone is that AAX is now the only airline connecting Kuala Lumpur directly to the Gold Coast and to Queensland on the whole.” Mr Benyamin Ismail said.

Queensland Airports Limited CEO Amelia Evans said the return of AirAsia X to the Gold Coast would provide three return flights between Kuala Lumpur and the Gold.
“We’re also excited to have been able to welcome AirAsia X back to our new International Terminal, providing visitors with an elevated experience from the moment they touch down into the Gold Coast and the region,” Ms Evans said.

airasia Super App expands Hotel portfolio, partners with Archipelago International

[From left]: Head of Emerging Markets airasia Super App, Lim Ben-Jie with President & CEO of Archipelago International, John M Flood at the MOU signing of airasia Super App and Archipelago International today at The Grove Suites by GRAND ASTON, Jakarta.

JAKARTA, 31 January 2023airasia Super App today announced a direct partnership with Archipelago International, one of the largest hotel management groups in Southeast Asia, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony at The Grove Suites by GRAND ASTON, Jakarta.

This partnership has expanded the airasia Super App hotel booking platform’s portfolio by more than 40,000 rooms and residences in over 200 locations across Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Oceania. Now, airasia Super App users can access a number of leading properties under Archipelago International, including  ASTON, The Alana, Kamuela, Harper, Quest, NEO, fave, and Powered by Archipelago.

This partnership also stands as one of airasia Super App’s efforts as an OTA and hotel booking platform to support the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy’s target of 7.4 million foreign tourist visits to Indonesia in 2023, especially since the reopening of Indonesia’s borders for international tourists from China in post-pandemic.

Capital A unveils vision of creating airasia Republic with the launch of Community on airasia Super App

[From left] – Rudy Khaw, Chief Branding Officer, Capital A, Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A, Mr. Woo Jeong Jeon, CEO of COOP Marketing Group & Colin Currie, Chief Commercial Officer of Capital A

KUALA LUMPUR, 12 DEC 2022 – Capital A has unveiled its vision of a more community led experience on airasia Super App, introducing features such as airasia chat, games and the newly launched airasia gifts – allowing the community of airasia members to connect, play and share.

Attending the launch on Monday, Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A said, “Essentially, this Community pillar, or what we would like to call airasia Republic, is the future of airasia Super App and integral to the airlines, which will also include features to enhance customer engagement and experience. It is a space where airasia brings the whole of Asean closer together, enabling the community to share information, engage and build meaningful connections, share creativity and learn from each other – thus creating a strong sense of community. Aside from everything I’ve mentioned, we will continue to enhance our ecosystem, creating a more self-sustaining engagement based user experience – making airasia Community truly an airasia way of life.”