AirAsia X to fly to Haneda

[MIR 2]

AirAsia To Launch Flights To Japan In 2009

 

TOKYO, Sept 19 (Bernama)-- Visiting AirAsia Chief Executive Officer Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes said Thursday the Kuala Lumpur-based discount airline intends to launch flight services to Japan in 2009, Jiji Press reported.

 

Fernandes told a press conference here that the Japanese market has enormous potential, adding that AirAsia hopes to help increase the number of Malaysian tourists to Japan.

 

The firm appears to be planning to set airfares for its Japan-bound flights at levels 50 to 60 pct lower than those offered by major airlines.

To celebrate the launch of Japan flights, AirAsia plans to offer 25-dollar one-way tickets for flights between Japan and Malaysia.

AirAsia is considering launching flights to Tokyo International Airport at Haneda and an airport now under construction in Ibaraki Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo.

 

The company also hopes to start services to such major Japanese cities as Sapporo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka in the future.

 

AirAsia is the leading low-cost airline in Southeast Asia.

Edited September 19, 2008 by MIR

[Y. J. Foo 0]

I thought Haneda only for domestic flights and some Korean/Chinese destinations??

 

Then again if they really can fly to Haneda it'll make the distance to downtown Tokyo much nearer.

[MIR 2]

AirAsia seeks Japan airport deals

 

AIRASIA X Sdn, partly owned by Southeast Asia's biggest discount airline, may start flights to Japan next year as it tries to lure customers from Japan Airlines Corp and All Nippon Airways Co.

 

The airline was negotiating to fly to airports including Tokyo's Haneda, Tony Fernandes, chief executive officer of AirAsia Bhd, said yesterday in Tokyo.

 

AirAsia has added new routes and boosted capacity even as rivals including Australia's Qantas Airways Ltd and Korean Air Lines Co cut flights, Bloomberg News reported. The airline was negotiating for discounts on landing fees from airports to help reduce its costs, Fernandes said. "We typically offer fares 50 percent to 60 percent lower than rivals," Fernandes said. "The airport will benefit from passengers shopping and eating."

 

The airline was also considering flights from Kuala Lumpur to Osaka, Nagoya, Kita-Kyushu and Sapporo. "We're in discussions with at least half a dozen airports," said Azran Osman Rani, AirAsia X chief executive. -Shanghai Daily

[Waiping 12]

Huh? I thought a few months back AK was lamenting on the difficulty for foreigners to obtain Japanese Visa, which would affect load going into Japan.

[dsim 0]

watch the keywords ... intends, hopes, considering....

[Yusoff 1]

KUL-Sapporo? Wasteful and short-lived, me thinks. If AK really wanted to go to Sapporo, better let do KUL-Osaka-Sapporo or KUL-Haneda-Sapporo. More pax load there, for sure... JAL is using 747 for such domestic route, if i'm not mistaken.

 

Better stick at any airport in Japan's main island, Honshu.

[Waiping 12]

KUL-Sapporo? Wasteful and short-lived, me thinks. If AK really wanted to go to Sapporo, better let do KUL-Osaka-Sapporo or KUL-Haneda-Sapporo. More pax load there, for sure... JAL is using 747 for such domestic route, if i'm not mistaken.

 

Better stick at any airport in Japan's main island, Honshu.

 

But would Japan allow them to pick up passengers between Haneda/Osaka and Sapporo?

[Seth K 3]

Let see if they survive London's route first, then they can talk about Japanese market. I hope they are not overexcited with the oil's price at all time low ~~USD100.

[Yusoff 1]

But would Japan allow them to pick up passengers between Haneda/Osaka and Sapporo?

Heck!.. of course NOT!..

See, you've got my point. Silly route.

[BC Tam 2]

..... with the oil's price at all time low ~~USD100.

Surely not "all time low" - it was vacillating 50-60 (correct me if wrong) for quite a while before sanity took leave of absence

Edited September 20, 2008 by BC Tam

[Seth K 3]

Surely not "all time low" - it was vacillating 50-60 (correct me if wrong) for quite a while before sanity took leave of absence

May be I exaggerated it, I mean compare to months ago

Edited September 20, 2008 by Seth K

[Hon Kit 3]

KUALA LUMPUR (Nikkei)--Budget Malaysian carrier AirAsia Bhd said Tuesday that it plans to launch its first flights serving Japan by the end of the year, selling one-way tickets between Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo for as low as 14,000 yen.

 

Malaysian carrier AirAsia will begin its first flights serving Japan.

 

Operated by AirAsia X, AirAsia's long-distance airline, the flights between Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Tokyo's Haneda airport will begin at a pace of three per week. But the company aims to ramp up to seven flights as soon as possible, AirAsia Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes told The Nikkei.

 

The flights are expected to use Airbus SAS' A330 aircraft. The Japanese government has already allotted landing and takeoff slots to AirAsia X at Haneda.

 

At present, the cheapest round-trip airfares for Japan-Malaysia flights sell for more than 40,000 yen. Saying that the one-way fare for its flights will likely cost less than a cab ride from Tokyo to Narita International Airport, Fernandes expressed his confidence in the service's success.

 

The CEO sees the flights attracting passengers in Malaysia as well, pointing out that Japan is becoming increasingly popular as a tourist destination among people in Southeast Asia. The company hopes to also launch service between Malaysia and other major Japanese cities, such as Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka, Fernandes added.

 

Since beginning full-scale operations in 2002, AirAsia has grown sharply by offering low-cost flights. As of the end of 2009, the company served 136 cities in a total of 18 countries and areas. AirAsia saw its passenger traffic jump 24% to about 22.7 million last year, topping Singapore Airlines Ltd.'s roughly 16.3 million to become the biggest airline company in Southeast Asia.

 

(The Nikkei April 14 morning edition)

 

http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20100413D13JFA04.htm

[V Wong 0]

 

 

At present, the cheapest round-trip airfares for Japan-Malaysia flights sell for more than 40,000 yen. Saying that the one-way fare for its flights will likely cost less than a cab ride from Tokyo to Narita International Airport, Fernandes expressed his confidence in the service's success.

 

http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20100413D13JFA04.htm

 

Silly and misleading comparison, Dato F, bacause Narita - Tokyo cab ride is also more expensive than one way KUL-NRT Y ticket of premium carrier like MH. Period.

[Alif A. F. 0]

At least Haneda is a lot closer to Tokyo and Malaysia is given 2 slots to land there.

[KK Lee 5]

Bravo to D7 and lost opportunity for MH. If D7 can have daily flight to HND, MH can forgo yield and frequency between KUL/NRT. If D7 upgrade its J class to F class service, it may charge premium over MH J class to NRT.

 

 

[Mohd Azizul Ramli 2]

Agreed. HND is a gold mine. I am not sure why MH just stood still when SQ jumped at the opportunity right after the announcement of opening up HND to more foreign airlines. SQ will serve HND twice daily with B77W, on top of their 2 daily flights into NRT (one of which is an A380). That's 4 daily flights from SQ alone to Tokyo. SQ Talkers are predicting that HND is going to do so well that an A380 will be deployed for the route in the near future.

 

Congrates to D7 for managed to secure HND for Malaysia.

[Tamizi Hj Tamby 1]

Congrats D7

[Kenneth Chong WT 0]

How about the Visa thingy...solved is it?

[V Wong 0]

I think there are 3 major differences between KUL and SIN capture of Tokyo traffic.

 

1. Due to huge presence of American multinational companies in Singapore, passengers from west coast USA use Tokyo as transit point to SIN.

2. Very close Sino-Japan cooperation also see large traffic between nationals of these two countries.

3. For Singaporean going to Tokyo, only visa on arrival needed, not prior to arrival.

 

Thus the SIN-NRT/HND traffic volume would be expectedly larger than KUL-NRT. Of course, DJ prides itself with opening up of new traffic and stimulating growth, rather than relying on 'old traffic'.

[Mushrif A 3]

At least Haneda is a lot closer to Tokyo and Malaysia is given 2 slots to land there.

 

That "2" is actualy one slot to land and one to take off - i.e. a return flight. So no more left for MH.

[Alif A. F. 0]

2. Very close Sino-Japan cooperation also see large traffic between nationals of these two countries.

 

You mean Singapore or China?

 

That "2" is actualy one slot to land and one to take off - i.e. a return flight. So no more left for MH.

 

Oh, hehe... so MH do really miss the opportunity then.

[BC Tam 2]

Actually, where does it say "given 2 slots" ?

I can only read

The Japanese government has already allotted landing and takeoff slots to AirAsia X at Haneda

and

Operated by AirAsia X, AirAsia's long-distance airline, the flights between Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Tokyo's Haneda airport will begin at a pace of three per week

Meaning a minimum of 6 slots weekly then ?

Edited April 14, 2010 by BC Tam

[Alif A. F. 0]

Actually, where does it say "given 2 slots" ?

I can only read

and

Meaning a minimum of 6 slots weekly then ?

 

I get the info on "2 slots" from wikipedia which in turns direct me to the original source (a japanese article)...

[V Wong 0]

You mean Singapore or China?

 

 

 

Oops ... should be Singapore-Japan, not Sino....

Edited April 14, 2010 by V Wong

[Mushrif A 3]

Actually, where does it say "given 2 slots" ?

 

 

Google it up. Thailand is also given 2 but SIngapore gets 4, meaning 2 return flights SIN-HND.