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AirAsia X ready for China, Australia

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AirAsia X ready for China, Australia

 

September 18 2007

 

PEOPLE bitten by the cheap travel bug can now spread their wings further with the arrival of AirAsia X’s first Airbus A330.

 

The country’s first long-haul budget carrier will fly to China and Australia.

 

The plane, which is on a six-year lease, touched down at the low-cost carrier terminal here on Sunday at 12.25pm from Honolulu, Hawaii, AirAsia X chief executive officer Azran Osman Rani said the inaugural flight, called “Semangat Sir Freddie” (after Sir Freddie Laker, founder of the first low-cost airline in the United Kingdom), would probably be in the middle of next month.

 

Azran said the landing rights for both destinations had been obtained, but AirAsiawas stillwaiting for the final air operating certificate from the Department of Civil Aviation.

 

Its first destination will depend on which country gets the final paperwork done first.

 

“The inaugural flight will be right after Hari Raya. Whoever sends us the paperwork first, we will fly there,” said Azran.

 

The flight schedule has yet to be released, but Azran said the plane would alternate between China and Australia.

 

“With this plane, we will have at least five flights a week to China and four to Australia.” In a first for AirAsia, there will be a “premium” economy class, similar to business class on a regular airline.

 

“The seats are more comfortable, but that’s all you get—just the seat.

 

No business class lounge or other extras.

 

A lot of people who travel are after just that, a more comfortable seat. ” A premium economy seat is a little more than double the price of a normal seat on the A330. It will be about the same as the economy fare on a full service airline.

 

AirAsia will also offer another first — fixed-back shell seats in economy class. Passengers will not have to recline their seats into the lap of the person behind them. Instead, the seat will slide forward. Such seats are normally found in business class.

 

Azran said fares would be what Malaysians had come to expect and enjoy from AirAsia to places like Indonesia and Thailand.

 

AirAsia X will land at airports that do not have direct connections with Kuala Lumpur. Thus, it will head to cities like Tianjin and Chengdu in China and Avalon (near Melbourne), Gold Coast (near Brisbane) and Newcastle (near Sydney).

 

Azran said AirAsia X would get more planes in the first half of next year, including the Airbus A340, which can fly non-stop to Britain.

 

http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BT/T...014236/Article/

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AirAsia X ready for China, Australia

... including the Airbus A340, which can fly non-stop to Britain.

 

Is AK-X eyeing the A346 ?

Cannot believe a fully loaded A342 can fly nonstop to the UK :o

 

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Or is it the A340-500s?

 

Most probably the A340-600 I will say ;)

Can A346 fly non-stop to London?

Edited by S V Choong

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...there will be a “premium” economy class, similar to business class on a regular airline.

...premium economy seat is a little more than double the price of a normal seat on the A330. It will be about the same as the economy fare on a full service airline.

 

AirAsia will also offer another first — fixed-back shell seats in economy class. Passengers will not have to recline their seats into the lap of the person behind them. Instead, the seat will slide forward. Such seats are normally found in business class.

 

AKX business class seat at MH/SQ economy class price! - AKX gonna rock the longhaul aviation industry imo

 

fixed-back economy seat - any photo?

Edited by Cassava

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I reckon the fixed back Economy seat would be similar to Cathay's new product maybe...??

 

The A340 would definitely be a lease as it would be hard generating a profit with such low fares if it went direct from KL to London or Manchester. Potentially it could be the A340-300.

 

Alex.

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I like the idea that people fly business class just for the more comfortable seat. Regular business class fare cost would include alcoholic drinks that some people don't consume, therefore one would be paying for something not needed. AK seems to understand customers better, and address their needs at the right places.

Edited by Rozhan

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I like the idea that people fly business class just for the more comfortable seat. Regular business class fare cost would include alcoholic drinks that some people don't consume, therefore one would be paying for something not needed. AK seems to understand customers better, and address their needs at the right places.

 

airasiaxye1.gif

For a premium economy seat, with the price of a regular economy seat. It looks so nice. I would want to fly with them. :clapping:

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UPDATE 1-Malaysia's AirAsia X eyes 25 Airbus A350 aircraft

Tue Sep 18, 2007 10:00am BST

 

SEPANG, Malaysia, Sept 18 (Reuters) - AirAsia X, a Malaysian budget long haul carrier that counts British billionaire Richard Branson as a shareholder, is considering buying up to 25 Airbus A350 planes, the airline said on Tuesday.

 

"The A350 looks very good and that is the most logical choice as we are already on the Airbus, but we are also looking at Boeing," AirAsia X director Tony Fernandes said. "We would be foolish not to."

 

AirAsia X, which will make its debut soon, has already ordered 25 A330-300 planes for flights from Malaysia to Australia and China.

 

The need to plan ahead for new plane purchases is important given the long waiting time. Boeing's 787 planes could take as long as five years to deliver and the A350s could take up to seven years.

 

"It's a long way away, but around about the same number of planes that we have now," AirAsia X Chief Executive Azlan Osman-Rani told reporters when asked about the number of additional planes the airline needs.

 

Malaysia's AirAsia (AIRA.KL: Quote, Profile, Research) owns a 20 percent stake in AirAsia X, as does Britain's Virgin Group, controlled by Branson.

 

Airasia X, which aims to fly 10 million passengers a year within five years, expects to list its shares on the Malaysian stock exchange by 2010, Azlan said.

 

Fernandes, who is also AirAsia chief executive, said his budget carrier has already hedged 40 percent of its fuel needs at the moment.

 

He said AirAsia's business has not been affected by Sunday's crash of a Thai budget airliner in the resort island of Phuket.

 

"It is very wrong of the press to indicate that low cost carriers are less safe," he said. AirAsia also operates in Indonesia and Thailand.

 

In Malaysia, shares of AirAsia as well as state carrier Malaysian Airline System Bhd (MASM.KL: Quote, Profile, Research) have slumped as oil prices touch record highs.

 

U.S. crude hit a new record on Tuesday above $81 per barrel on worries about rising demand amid tight world supplies heading into the winter heating oil season.

 

Shares of Malaysian Airline, at 4.16 ringgit a share, have lost a third of their value in three months. AirAsia, which last traded at 1.85 ringgit a share, is down 4 percent in the same period.

 

http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKKLR2861620070918

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lol yean and becky(is she right?)...looks so red!

Edited by Edwin Yii

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September 18, 2007 20:08 PM

 

AirAsia X To Launch UK Route By End-2008

 

SEPANG, Sept 18 (Bernama) -- Long-haul low-cost carrier, AirAsia X, is expected to launch its maiden flight to Standsted, London by end-2008, says its chief executive officer, Azran Osman Rani.

 

Speaking to reporters after the welcoming reception for AirAsia's Airbus A330-300 here today, he said the company had already secured the landing rights for the London destination and would fly on a daily basis using the A340.

 

"If all goes well, we should be ready to launch the UK route by end-2008 and commence sales and bookings in February," he said, adding that the two A340 aircraft would arrive in October and November next year.

 

Azran said the company planned to fly to Australia and China by end of next month with the arrival of its first leased long-haul A330-300 aircraft at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport's low-cost carrier terminal last Sunday.

 

The aircraft, named Semangat Sir Freddie, is a tribute to the pioneer of the low-cost model, the late Sir Freddie Laker. It is on six-year lease from Ansett Worldwide Services.

 

It complements AirAsia X's purchase of 15 A330s announced earlier. The planes will be delivered over five years starting from September 2008.

 

Azran said the A330-300 would alternate between Australia and China.

 

"We plan to have at least five flights to China a week and four times a week to Australia," he said, adding that the landing rights for China and Australia had been secured and the airline was currently waiting for the Malaysian regulators to certify the plane.

 

He said with the A330's flight range, AirAsia X was also poised to extend the services to India, South Korea, West Asia and Japan with fares on average 50 percent lower than full-service carriers.

 

"The A330s are for destinations which are more than four hours in flight duration from Kuala Lumpur," he said.

 

He said the company was considering plan for listing on Bursa Malaysia within three years.

 

Meanwhile, founder director of AirAsia and group chief executive officer of AirAsia Bhd, Datuk Tony Fernandes, said AirAsia X was also looking to purchase the Boeing 787s or Airbus 350s for its long-haul routes.

 

"B787 is real. I'm going to Seattle to talk with the Boeing chief executive officer next week.

 

"Sure, we will be foolish not to talk to Boeing. But the A350 is an obvious choice. The Airbus has an advantage but the question is, 'when can we get the planes?'," he said.

 

-- BERNAMA

 

http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=285696

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AirAsiaX is expanding like nobody's business while the national carrier is cutting routes to save its life.

 

Looking forward to cheaper travels!!

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AirAsiaX is expanding like nobody's business while the national carrier is cutting routes to save its life.

 

Yes, both are 'right-sizing'. :D

 

+++

 

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The A340 would definitely be a lease as it would be hard generating a profit with such low fares if it went direct from KL to London or Manchester. Potentially it could be the A340-300.

 

Alex.

 

Oh, since its hard to get aircraft these days, Virgin Atlantic may help by giving some of its planes away to AirAsia X. Smart move!

---

AirAsia X en route

Malaysian low-cost airline AirAsia X's rather delayed plans to launch services to Australia seem on again.

 

After taking delivery of his first A330 yesterday, AirAsia X boss Azran Osman-Rani assured the media of his plans to start flying four flights a week to either Avalon, the Gold Coast or Newcastle by late October.

 

Of more interest is whether AirAsia X's new 20 per cent owner, Sir Richard Branson, is looking to forge closer links between his airline interests and his new investment. There are already signs that Virgin Atlantic might offload some of its A340-600s to AirAsia, to allow the Malaysian low-cost airline to launch flights to the UK in 2008.

 

And given Toll is mulling over the possible sale of its 62.4 per cent interest in Virgin Blue by the end of the year, Xchange wonders if Sir Richard is considering forging closer links between AirAsia and Virgin Blue if he regains management control of the airline he founded in 2000.

 

Such suggestions that he is looking to splash some more money around the region were given currency by the appearance of a newspaper job ad last week placed by Virgin Management seeking an "investment manager" in its Sydney office.

 

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Was at the launching of the first aircraft for this airline....

 

AKX_01.jpg

 

The CEO... explaining the aircraft, fare structures, types of meals etc...

AKX_02.jpg

 

Graced by the Dep Finance Minister...

AKX_03.jpg

 

and together they launched the aircraft... A330-300...

AKX_04.jpg

 

after that all of us invited to view the "new" Airbus...

AKX_05.jpg

 

Thanks to these two gentlemen from DCA KLIA for making my visit possible...

AKX_06.jpg

Dep Director and the Director ... :yahoo:

 

More pix to follow in Obs Hill ;)

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Norman, can I use one of your AirAsia X A330 picture with information in our local aviation forum?

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airasiaxye1.gif

For a premium economy seat, with the price of a regular economy seat. It looks so nice. I would want to fly with them. :clapping:

 

oh my god, how come yean looks like she just woke up or something..... :pardon: ? but hey, becky looks gorgeous.

 

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Meanwhile, founder director of AirAsia and group chief executive officer of AirAsia Bhd, Datuk Tony Fernandes, said AirAsia X was also looking to purchase the Boeing 787s or Airbus 350s for its long-haul routes.

 

AirAsia X Eyes 25 Airbus A350 Aircraft

 

September 18, 2007

AirAsia X, a Malaysian budget long haul carrier that counts British billionaire Richard Branson as a shareholder, is considering buying up to 25 Airbus A350 planes, the airline said on Tuesday.

 

"The A350 looks very good and that is the most logical choice as we are already on the Airbus, but we are also looking at Boeing," AirAsia X director Tony Fernandes said. "We would be foolish not to."

 

AirAsia X, which will make its debut soon, has already ordered 25 A330-300 planes for flights from Malaysia to Australia and China.

 

The need to plan ahead for new plane purchases is important given the long waiting time. Boeing's 787 planes could take as long as five years to deliver and the A350s could take up to seven years.

 

"It's a long way away, but around about the same number of planes that we have now," AirAsia X Chief Executive Azlan Osman-Rani told reporters when asked about the number of additional planes the airline needs.

 

Malaysia's AirAsia owns a 20 percent stake in AirAsia X, as does Britain's Virgin Group, controlled by Branson.

 

Airasia X, which aims to fly 10 million passengers a year within five years, expects to list its shares on the Malaysian stock exchange by 2010, Azlan said.

 

Fernandes, who is also AirAsia chief executive, said his budget carrier has already hedged 40 percent of its fuel needs at the moment.

 

He said AirAsia's business has not been affected by Sunday's crash of a Thai budget airliner in the resort island of Phuket.

 

"It is very wrong of the press to indicate that low cost carriers are less safe," he said. AirAsia also operates in Indonesia and Thailand.

 

In Malaysia, shares of AirAsia as well as state carrier Malaysia Airlines have slumped as oil prices touch record highs.

 

US crude hit a new record on Tuesday above USD$81 per barrel on worries about rising demand amid tight world supplies heading into the winter heating oil season.

 

(Reuters)

 

....is it known already which London airport they'll be using ? (guess it's STN)....

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