AirAsia has carried over 20 million guests to date. The airline has just surpassed its 20 millionth passenger mark in June 2006. “We are delighted to record this significant achievement for a young…
AirAsia has carried over 20 million guests to date. The airline has just surpassed its 20 millionth passenger mark in June 2006. “We are delighted to record this significant achievement for a young airline barely five (5) years old. As Asia’s leading low fare airline, we are proud to have pioneered low fares and impacted the region’s travel industry. Over 20 million guests from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and around the region have chosen to fly with AirAsia a strong testament to the appeal of our low fares and the strength of our unbeatable product – brand new modern fleet of Airbus 320 fun and friendly service, convenient booking channels and an extensive regional route network of 2,450 weekly flights,” said Kathleen Tan, Executive Vice President – Commercial.
Operating from six hubs, the continued roll out of Airbus fleet will increase AirAsia’s capacity to facilitate an aggressive expansion program within the Group through added new frequencies and launching of new routes. Over last six months, AirAsia has launched new routes to Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Brunei, Hanoi, Krabi, Solo and Pekan Baru. With recently added frequencies, AirAsia now flies five (5) times daily to Bangkok, and four (4) times daily to Jakarta from its Kuala Lumpur hub.
“With domestic rationalization in place, this is an exciting phase for AirAsia with immense challenges and opportunities ahead of us. We will continue to remain focus and stimulate air travel with our amazing low fares. Our seamless internet booking is escalating at rapid pace, a strong indication that Asians today are embracing internet technology. Being a forerunner in technology and the first airline to champion and aggressively market online bookings, our website www.airasia.com is now one of the most popular e-commerce and search websites. Recording a monthly average of 60 million impressions and 1 million unique visitors monthly, our website is now surfed by users from over 200 countries worldwide. 65% of our transactions are booked online proving our guests enjoy the convenience and keep coming back for our exciting online promotions”, said Kathleen.
The recent addition of two new hubs in Kota Kinabalu (Sabah) and Kuching (Sarawak) in July also promises further growth to AirAsia’s domestic operations.
Kathleen added, “Traveling between Peninsular Malaysia, and Sabah and Sarawak has never been the same since our low fares entered the market. We have stimulated air traffic movement, developed new routes such as Johor Bahru-Sibu, Johor Bahru-Miri, Kuala Lumpur-Bintulu and introduced new direct flights such as Kuala Lumpur-Sandakan and Kuala Lumpur-Tawau. Our low fares have also helped to stimulate growth of domestic tourism, attracting a diverse spectrum of travelers, ranging from students, holiday makers, to visiting friends, families and relatives. We have also seen the growth of SME business traffic as well as foreign tourists. We are delighted to have been able to help promote national integration and stimulate the local economies in Sabah and Sarawak.”
AirAsia has achieved over 90% loads for both Kuching and Kota Kinabalu flights in recent months, both of which are served 49 flights weekly respectively, from its Peninsular Malaysia hubs. With its two new East Malaysia hubs in place, AirAsia has added new flights between Sabah and Sarawak such as Kota Kinabalu-Kuching and Kota Kinabalu-Miri. To date, the airline has carried 3.3 million guests for Sabah and 3.7 million for Sarawak alone.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
