KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia will launch its long haul operations within five months – but the low cost carrier is being coy about naming the specific destinations it will fly to.
For those seeking clues, this week’s media conference at the Mandarin Oriental provided a few pointers.
Among the official “excellences” attending the event were representatives from Spain, Japan, France, Germany and the deputy premier of the state of South Australia.
Asked whether Adelaide was on the radar for Air Asia’s long haul operations, Fly Asian Xpress CEO Raja Mohd Azmi Raja Razali said, “Make of that what you will.”
He said that the new carrier was “inundated” with requests from airports seeking AirAsia flights. “We’ll see which airports give us the best deal.”
Officially, AirAsia long haul operations will target Japan, Australia, China, India, Middle East “and some airports in Europe”.
AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes said the UK would be scheduled in the first 12 months but he wanted to await the availability of the new aircraft due in September 2008 before launching into that market. “It’s critical that we have the new product for the UK launch,” he said.
Fernandes said AirAsia’s “gut feel” was that 25 Airbus A330s would be needed within five years to support the long haul operations “such is the choice of destinations we can fly to”.
by Ian Jarrett
