Malaysia's Chinese news website Sin Chew Daily reports, Air Asia will launch its first long-haul route from 2007.
Air Asia plans to announce the launch of low-cost, long-haul route in January 2007, the route will be London. Inaugural date to be set for July 2007, with a stop in Dubai. It'll be using either 777 or 330 on this route, in conjunction with FAX (Fly Asian Xpress).
As per report the ministry of transportation in Malaysia has approved Air Asia's approval.
According to unnamed source, Air Asia may be providing the fare at MYR19.99/USD5.66 one-way to London. However, such offering will be limited. The route will offer Economy and Super Economy Class service.
It says this will not affect Malaysia Airlines because the market they're targetting is different. "MAS offers expensive fare, not anyone with low income can afford to fly, including the Brits."
MAS' KUL-London round trip flight with tax included is about MYR4000-5000/USD1133-1416 in Economy
Air Asia currently offers up to 4hr regional flight. The London flight will be 13hrs.
Aussiestu From Australia, joined Mar 2001, 778 posts, RR: 1 Reply 2, posted (6 years 4 months 3 weeks 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 11743 times:
How can any airline make money on a USD5.66 one way fare to London. It says this fare will be limited........yeah to one passenger? It wont take long for the fares to be similar to MHs.....maybe slightly cheaper!
MCOflyer From United States of America, joined Jun 2006, 8553 posts, RR: 14 Reply 3, posted (6 years 4 months 3 weeks 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 11707 times:
It will be to attract competition. But MH is known for their service so it will be hard to beat MH. I guess the 5.66 fares will be offered for a couple of hours to fill their first flight to London.
Aussie747 From Australia, joined Aug 2003, 1161 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (6 years 4 months 3 weeks 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 11580 times:
That fare $6 one way will most likely just be a launch sale fare only, and as has been suggested by Aussiestu will eventually sit at a level just below MH
777MAS From Malaysia, joined Sep 2003, 196 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (6 years 4 months 3 weeks 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 11419 times:
I just checked Air Asia's website a minute ago. It would have made webpage headlines - but there was mention of it.
I wonder how well this sits with LCCs' usual policies of operating only 1 type of aircraft. Also wonder how the LCC Terminal at KUL would handle so many pax for just one flight.
Pe@rson From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 18835 posts, RR: 54 Reply 6, posted (6 years 4 months 3 weeks 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 11309 times:
Would be cool as a customer if it happened.
Of course, its cheapest fare, if at $5.66 or whatever, would be lead-in only - that is, to attract customers through the WOW factor - and would be before tax and other fees are added. Moreover, it would adopt a yield management system so as to generate as much money as it can from each seat sold - just like Oasis' average fares are far more than its cheapest, lead-in fares.
Quoting 777MAS (Reply 5): I wonder how well this sits with LCCs' usual policies of operating only 1 type of aircraft.
True, it would be against the normal principle of one aircraft (or various variants of one series), but easyJet operates two types of aircraft - the 319 and the 73G.
Cheers,
James in Kuala Lumpur
"Everyone writing for the Telegraph knows that the way to grab eyeballs is with Ryanair and/or sex."
LHR777 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 8, posted (6 years 4 months 3 weeks 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 10918 times:
Quoting Jimyvr (Thread starter): MAS' KUL-London round trip flight with tax included is about MYR4000-5000/USD1133-1416 in Economy
Interesting. Going the other way, LHR-KUL-LHR on MAS is currently selling for GBP403.00 on Malaysia Airlines own website. I just met my brother of the MH002 at LHR about 3 hours ago, and he paid £350, including tax, direct from MAS. He travelled out December 20th, returned December 30th.
GBP403 = USD790/MYR2787, approx, but of course, the fares ex-KUL may be higher.
RootsAir From Costa Rica, joined Feb 2005, 4179 posts, RR: 45 Reply 9, posted (6 years 4 months 3 weeks 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 10201 times:
Quoting EI787 (Reply 1): Wow! $6?? That seems too good to be true! Of course, taxes & charges will bring that figure up quite a bit but it will still be a fantastic bargain!
Do we have another Oasis Hong Kong??? Big grin
or another Air Madrid ?
A man without the knowledge of his past history,culture and origins is like a tree without roots
A350 From Germany, joined Nov 2004, 1098 posts, RR: 23 Reply 13, posted (6 years 4 months 3 weeks 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 8620 times:
Quoting Aussiestu (Reply 2): How can any airline make money on a USD5.66 one way fare to London.
You can watch here at Anet how it works: offer a hanful of tickets virtually for free and you are for exchange in the press for free, as here in Anet. Certainly cheaper than a large advertising capaign. It's always the same game with the LCCs. Part two is only to offer seats for such a price you can't sell anyway.
Jfk777 From United States of America, joined Aug 2006, 7348 posts, RR: 7 Reply 14, posted (6 years 4 months 3 weeks 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 8354 times:
Tony Fernandes has has great success with Air Asia regionally. Its only natural he go for the long haul. This adds complexity to his airline by operating wide body planes. Airbus would seem to have the advantage since Air Asia operates A320's already.
777MAS From Malaysia, joined Sep 2003, 196 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (6 years 4 months 3 weeks 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 8247 times:
Quoting 777MAS (Reply 5): I just checked Air Asia's website a minute ago. It would have made webpage headlines - but there was mention of it.
Sorry, my statement should have read "...there was NO mention of it..."
I checked the website a minute ago again, and there's still no mention of it, not even under the "NEW ROUTES (COMING SOON)" section.
That aside, I'd hate to think of a 13-hour flight where the seat pitch is 29 in. (compared to 34 on MH). I'm 5 ft 10 in. tall, and could just fit in with very little room to spare, so those of you who are taller may find it unbearable on such a long flight! Even worse is the possibility of a B777 with 10-abreast seating, or, worse still, a A330 with 9-abreast.
No inflight entertainment - so, pl. bring your own book. Feeling cold midway thru your flight? Bring your own blanket. The list goes on....
I think Easyjet provides UK/Europe feed, the new carrier the UK/Europe links, Air Asia the Asian links, and possibly Virgin Blue the Asia to Australia and Australian domestic feed.
Pe@rson From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 18835 posts, RR: 54 Reply 20, posted (6 years 4 months 3 weeks 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 7511 times:
On Newsasia, it said that there will be a press conference on Friday concerning this.
I have read (newspapers) and heard (on T.V.) that it'll be Manchester (what about its potential alliance with easyJet and Virgin?) - no, it'll be London; no, it'll be this, no, it'll be that, etc. So, very little certainty.
Both easyJet and Virgin have said that no talks with Air Asia have happened.
James in Phnom Penh.
"Everyone writing for the Telegraph knows that the way to grab eyeballs is with Ryanair and/or sex."
PlymSpotter From Spain, joined Jun 2004, 11130 posts, RR: 63 Reply 21, posted (6 years 4 months 3 weeks 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 7499 times:
Quoting Pe@rson (Reply 20): Both easyJet and Virgin have said that no talks with Air Asia have happened.
I find it hard to believe that Virgin would want an official association with Air Asia, and least of all EasyJet. I know they started off as low cost long haul, but they have changed into a different market now and I fail to see how the LCC business model would fit with them. Unless of course it is just a short term move to gain traffic rights to Malaysia, or even just a bit of free press.
Pe@rson From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 18835 posts, RR: 54 Reply 22, posted (6 years 4 months 3 weeks 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 7496 times:
Quoting PlymSpotter (Reply 21): How much longer until it's James in Bideford again
Haha. Well, been in S. E. Asia for 2 months now, with another month to go. Then will be in sunny N. Devon for a week or two before going to Glos. to work. Then back to uni for me. By the way, Bideford's about 9 miles from where I originate. :P
"Everyone writing for the Telegraph knows that the way to grab eyeballs is with Ryanair and/or sex."
Pe@rson From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 18835 posts, RR: 54 Reply 23, posted (6 years 4 months 3 weeks 1 day ago) and read 7228 times:
Latest development on Newsasia is that they said a spokesperson said that it'd be operated by FAX, i.e. Fly Asian Express, which presently operates in Borneo using F50s. Hmm. Kota Kinabalu-Kuching-KUL-BKK-RGN-DAC-CCU-Varanasi-DEL-ATQ-LHE-... to Europe? LOL. Seems a tad far-fetched that FAX would acquire widebody aircraft, but nobody can definitely say until they confirm what's happening...
Pe@rson From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 18835 posts, RR: 54 Reply 24, posted (6 years 4 months 3 weeks 12 hours ago) and read 7005 times:
On CNBC this morning, it said that possible routes are Manchester, some destination in the U.A.E. (probably Dubai or Sharjah), Amritsar, Tianjin (not that far from Beijing) and Hangzhou (not that far from Shanghai). Will be interesting to see what happens...
"Everyone writing for the Telegraph knows that the way to grab eyeballs is with Ryanair and/or sex."
25 Kevin777: Is it also natural for FR, U2 and WN to go long-haul then? I reckon AirAsia should stay where they are and grow in the region (which is already huge
26 KEno: ... as bizarre as it may sound, the news is finally confirmed http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story...007/1/5/nation/16482097&sec=nation FAX given lon
27 6thfreedom: well where is this bl**dy announcement? wasn't it meant to be this morning?
28 Aussie_: 6th freedom - see other posts. - Called Air Asia X (operated by FAX) - Ordering 20x 777 or A330 - Flight start July this year - Fare 9.99MYR +tax to L
29 Aviasian: Well, the announcement has been made and the fare between Kuala Lumpur and London will be as low as US$2.84!!! Check out the article at: http://www.ch
30 198467: Is it permanent or just for the first flight?
31 Airbus A380: Interesting to note that the A330 was featured sporting the AirAsia X colours during the press conference. Regular fares to the UK will be anywhere be
32 Trekster: Currently a piece on this on Local Manchester news One way from £40 it is saying. They have not picked if it is goin to be MAN or LON
33 Brum A330: The following article from Air Transport Intelligence news answers some of your questions. Industry sources say the Malaysia-based low-cost carrier's
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LOL. Seems a tad far-fetched that FAX would acquire widebody aircraft, but nobody can definitely say until they confirm what's happening...
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