KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 (Bernama) — AirAsiaX, Malaysia’s long-haul low-cost airline, is confident of launching flights to Japan by end of next year with huge demand due to the high cost of flying there, its director Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes said Thursday.
He said the airline had received interest from Japanese travellers frequenting Southeast Asia, adding that the routes were currently underserved.
“Japan is a very high cost market, so I think they will appreciate our low fares. And again, they are very underserved to Malaysia. There are not many flights from Japan to Malaysia,” he told reporters here after launching AirAsiaX’s flight to Perth, Western Australia.
Fernandes said he will be going to Japan in July this year with AirAsiaX chief executive officer Azran Osman-Rani to iron out details and the airline was looking to serve three routes, including Nagoya.
“I would say hopefully somewhere next year, Japan would definitely happen without a doubt. I think it is about getting the rights,” he said.
“Japanese love Southeast Asia. So when you arrive in Malaysia, you can go to Kota Kinabalu, Penang, Bali or Bangkok. It is a paradise for Japanese.”
Asked about the airline’s plans for South Korea, Fernandes declined to elaborate.
“Korea, I can’t tell. It also depends on the planes,” he said.
On another note, Fernandes said the airline was awaiting its second new aircraft, an Airbus A330, due Oct 25 this year that will serve either the China or India routes. — BERNAMA
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December 14, 2008 at 10:35 pm
yes ‘m glad to hear tat airasia aiming flying to japan end 2009 cause honeymoon we going hokkaido,japan. MAS very expensive, it is really a great news to us. Thanks alot. We love airasia. you’re the best, you the only one who understand about consumers’s need.