Virgin Group to take 20% stake in Air Asia

[Keith T 2]

http://www.theage.com.au/news/news/branson...6252685416.html

 

Branson to take 20 per cent stake in AirAsia

August 7, 2007 - 2:00PM

 

British billionaire Richard Branson of Virgin Group is to take a 20 per cent stake in Malaysia's AirAsia long-haul budget carrier to help get it off the ground, a report said today.

 

AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes declined comment on the report even as the company said it would be making a major announcement on Friday.

 

...

 

[Tamizi Hj Tamby 1]

Just what i've expected.Hope to hear latest news about it.

[Weisuan 0]

That would seem like a strategic stake for AirAsia X. I'm not sure if Branson still owns Virgin Blue but if he still does, and with AirAsia X flying to Australia starting in September, I wonder if an alliance or code share with Virgin Blue may be the next step for AirAsia X to increase its destinations in Australia. With JetStar flying from and into Sydney, I'm hoping AirAsia X would choose Melbourne as its first destination down under.

[H C Chai 4]

I'm hoping AirAsia X would choose Melbourne as its first destination down under.

 

There is a little icon in the recently revamped AirAsia website saying AAX will be flying to Gold Coast soon. There is no further information though...

[Weisuan 0]

There is a little icon in the recently revamped AirAsia website saying AAX will be flying to Gold Coast soon. There is no further information though...

 

Thanks for the info. If it's the Gold Coast, I guess it would be Brissie then. Coolangatta's just too small for a long haul jet. Drats! There I was hoping it'd be Melbourne.

Edited August 7, 2007 by Weisuan

[Keno Omar 0]

Thanks for the info. If it's the Gold Coast, I guess it would be Brissie then. Coolangatta's just too small for a long haul jet.

OOL had a 1-stop service to KIX via CNS on B767 during the days of AO. Does that mean it can handle A330?

 

[Azmir I. 1]

The ICAO code for AirAsia X is XFA.Been doing trainning at Airbus Trainning Ctr in TLS ,the company designation for Sim trg here is XFA as opposed to AXM for AK.Just for the info.

[Chaity 1]

Received a SMS from Fitri Shukri at around 1226 today.

 

He was in LCCT to catch a flight to KCH and TF & RB just walked past him.

 

I am not sure if the above news is true and just wait for the official news later today.

[Radzi 2]

I'm waiting for the picture from Fitri's Nikon.

[Ibrahim 0]

TF & RB just walked past him.

 

Hurm.. waiting waiting... RB datang naik apa~??? private jet~???

 

[Jonathan Kong 0]

from Bernama:

 

AirAsia X Names First Aircraft After Sir Alfred Laker

 

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 10 (Bernama) -- AirAsia X will pay tribute to the first person to introduce the long-haul budget airline service, Sir Alfred Laker, by naming its first aircraft after him.

 

The British airline entrepreneur was among the first to adopt the no-frill airline business model. He launched a low cost airline service between New York and London in 1977, a statement from AirAsia X said here Thursday.

 

Unfortunately, Laker Airways was declared bankrupt in 1982 with a debt of over 250 million pounds, which led to the collapse of its first low-cost airline under Laker Airways, Skytrain, after five years in operation.

[Sandeep G 1]

from Bernama:

 

AirAsia X Names First Aircraft After Sir Alfred Laker

 

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 10 (Bernama) -- AirAsia X will pay tribute to the first person to introduce the long-haul budget airline service, Sir Alfred Laker, by naming its first aircraft after him.

 

The British airline entrepreneur was among the first to adopt the no-frill airline business model. He launched a low cost airline service between New York and London in 1977, a statement from AirAsia X said here Thursday.

 

Unfortunately, Laker Airways was declared bankrupt in 1982 with a debt of over 250 million pounds, which led to the collapse of its first low-cost airline under Laker Airways, Skytrain, after five years in operation.

 

aiyo... like this got good feng shui meh?

[Kenneth T 0]

Received a SMS from Fitri Shukri at around 1226 today.

 

He was in LCCT to catch a flight to KCH and TF & RB just walked past him.

 

I am not sure if the above news is true and just wait for the official news later today.

 

Wow, cant wait to see this picture..such a remarkable event and im sure if Richard brandson is here, it means something big for AirasiaX for sure.

[Rozhan 0]

Sir Richard Branson appeared on TV3 berita just now, with AK and D7 boss and other folks. SRB was seen wearing baju melayu complete with headgear, like a royalty.

[Keith T 2]

The official media release:

http://www.airasia.com/site/my/en/pressRel...d0d890-818ad7e7

 

Edited August 10, 2007 by Keith T

[Keith T 2]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=285440

 

Fly from Australia to Malaysia for $A31

Friday Aug 10 20:58 AEST

 

Australians will be offered return fares as low as 90 Ringgits ($A31) to fly to Malaysia, after the new budget airline AirAsia X secured rights to fly to the Gold Coast.

 

Air Asia X - an offshoot of Asia's biggest low cost carrier Air Asia - announced the Gold Coast would likely be its first destination from its Kuala Lumpur-base, with flights potentially from next month.

 

Flights to Avalon, near Melbourne, could begin around March next year, and to Stansted in London late next year after AirAsia X was today granted the rights to fly there.

 

"The Gold Coast would be the first destination," AirAsia X founder Tony Fernandes said.

 

"Fares would range from as low as 90 ringgit to an average fare which would be in the 1900 ringgit ($A647) mark return."

 

The new long-distance budget airline has previously flagged standard fares 30 to 50 per cent cheaper than its competitors, from Australia to the Malaysian capital, and then a host of far flung places, including the UK, Middle East, India and China.

 

It will have close ties with Australian carrier Virgin Blue, with colourful billionaire founder Sir Richard Branson taking a 20 per cent stake in the venture.

 

Branson's Virgin Group has a 26 per cent stake in Australia's Virgin Blue, which is based at the Gold Coast.

 

Sir Richard said there would "almost definitely" be formal links between the two airlines, Virgin Blue and AirAsia X, in the future.

 

"We'll talk about a codesharing frequent flier program, almost definitely," Sir Richard told AAP.

 

Fernandes said Virgin Blue wasn't a factor in the decision to pick the Gold Coast, but also raised the potential for link .

 

"Who knows - its certainly something that's ... going through my mind more and more," Fernandes said.

 

"I would find it odd to do something without Virgin now in Australia.

 

"It can be very simple marketing links."

 

He also flagged further potential destinations in Australia, such as Adelaide and Newcastle, which had been tipped as possible destinations following negotiations in those cities.

 

"No one's's missed out. We will be there," Fernandes said.

 

"Avalon was actually the favourite but they've got to build their airport for international standards and they are doing that right now.

 

"In terms of Newcastle, they've got to do some adjustments to their airport as well.

 

"Adelaide, we've had some issues with the airport down there, plus we haven't got the rights yet ... but we'll be there. "

 

Fernandes - who has been described as Asia's version of Sir Richard - said he wasn't worried about his Australian competitors.

 

"Jetstar doesn't worry us at all," he said.

 

"There is plenty of space for all of us.

 

"We are creating a whole new market that wasn't there before."

 

Meanwhile, Sir Richard said Virgin Blue was sticking with its own Victorian destination Tullamarine, but would look into a switch to Avalon.

[Andrew K 0]

Interesting. Virgin blue courting both MH and AK.

[razlizam 0]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=285440

 

The info was also updated in Wikipedia:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airasia_x

 

[Ibrahim 0]

Sir Richard Branson appeared on TV3 berita just now, with AK and D7 boss and other folks. SRB was seen wearing baju melayu complete with headgear, like a royalty.

 

here the pic... found it at JFK Friendster..

 

Edited August 10, 2007 by Ibrahim

[Kenneth T 0]

Interesting. Virgin blue courting both MH and AK.

 

Yup, Richard Brandson is very smart, so by maintaining such cooperation with AK and MH, im sure someday he will once rule the skies

 

[Tamizi Hj Tamby 1]

Wah Sir Richard Branson is more happening than TF.Check out his attire during the ceremony.

[Meor 0]

here the pic... found it at JFK Friendster..

 

 

 

Cheers to our MWings member... JFK (Johan Farid khairuddin)..

[Fitri Shukri 0]

Received a SMS from Fitri Shukri at around 1226 today.

 

He was in LCCT to catch a flight to KCH and TF & RB just walked past him.

 

I am not sure if the above news is true and just wait for the official news later today.

 

I'm waiting for the picture from Fitri's Nikon.

 

Haiyaaa... sorryyyy... I didn't have my Nikon with me to Sarawak. Only a Panasonic videocam, and I made a stupid mistake that caused the flash not to function. So these are the only 2 photos that I can show you of RB and TF at LCCT on Aug 10 afternoon (after post processing).

 

 

 

Then i was off to KCH and got fever when returned to PEN