Air Asia X Budget Flights KL to Australia / UK
Air Asia X have received the first 2 of 25 Airbus A330 aircraft in order to expand their budget long-haul service out of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Air Asia originally announced in January 2007 its intention to operate ultra cheap flights between Malaysia and Europe and Australia under the 'Air Asia X' banner.
Background on Air Asia and Fly Asian Xpress / Air Asia X
Air Asia operates a variety of domestic Malaysian routes as well as flying to Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Macau, Indonesia, Philippines and Cambodia. Their success has been dramatic over the last 5 years - being a very well run outfit with entrepreneur Tony Fernandes at the helm - who has turned them into the the biggest discount airline in South-East Asia.
They have gained further global recognition through sponsorship deals of both Manchester United football team and the Williams Formula 1 team constructor.
Fly Asian Xpress (FAX) was a subsidiary of Air Asia. FAX used to operate 22 routes within Eastern Malaysia (Sarawak and Sabah) using small Fokker 50 and Twin Otters aircraft. These routes were handed to Malaysian Airlines so that FAX could focus on operating the long-haul Air Asia X. The name Fly Asian Xpress was officially changed over to Air Asia X in late 2007.
Air Asia X flights
Air Asia X operates 5 services: Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Gold Coast (OOL), Perth (PER) and Melbourne (MEL) in Australia, KUL to Hangzhou, China (HGH) and KUL to London Stansted (STN). The first 2 A330 aircraft from Airbus have been delivered with leased aircraft filling in before the other new deliveries - 6 more due in the next 2 years - arrive. The London - KL flights will start on 11th March 2009 using a larger Airbus A340 aircraft..
In August 2007 Virgin's Richard Branson invested in a 16% stake in Air Asia X. (Air Asia owns 16%, venture capitalist funds from Japan and Bahrain own 10% each and a Fernandes consortium 'Aero Ventures' owns the remaining 48%). Air Asia X have recently been in talks with Qantas on a possible partnership.
Other potential Air Asia X routes are likely to be Kuala Lumpur to Europe (Prague, Moscow), Australia (Newcastle, Adelaide) and cities throughout Asia and the Middle East.
http://www.airtravelgenius.com/ar/air-a ... lights.htm