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AirAsia

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AirAsia (Thai: แอร์เอเชีย) is a low-cost airline based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It operates scheduled domestic and international flights and is Asia's leading low fare no frills airline (meals need to be bought, no in-flight entertainment, only 15 kg baggage allowance) and first to introduce "ticketless" travelling (no specific seats allocated before boarding). AirAsia has been expanding its operations extremely rapidly and is very popular, but also infamous for frequent significant delays. Its main base is Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL). It currently operates from the 1st ever low cost carrier terminal in Asia at KLIA (commenced effective 26 March 2006).

AirAsia should not be confused with the Taiwanese company Air Asia Company Limited, a Taiwan, Republic of China-based aeroplane maintaince service provider, that historically in the Cold War era front company for the United States Central Intelligence Agency.

Contents

History

An AirAsia aeroplane.
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An AirAsia aeroplane.

The airline was established in 1993 and started operations on 18 November 1996. It was originally founded by a government-owned conglomerate DRB-Hicom. On December 2 2001 the heavily indebted airline was purchased by former Time Warner executive Tony Fernandes's company Tune Air Sdn Bhd for the token sum of one ringgit. Fernandes proceeded to engineer a remarkable turnaround, turning a profit in 2002 and launching new routes from its hub in Kuala Lumpur International Airport at breakneck speed, undercutting former monopoly operator Malaysia Airlines with promotional fares as low as RM1 (US $0.27).

In 2003, AirAsia opened a second hub at Senai Airport in Johor Bahru near Singapore and launched its first international flights to Thailand. AirAsia has since started a Thai AirAsia subsidiary, added Singapore itself to the destination list, and started flights to Indonesia. Flights to Macau started in June 2004, while flights to mainland China (Xiamen) and the Philippines (Manila) were started in April 2005. Flights to Vietnam and Cambodia followed later in 2005.

On 22 July 2005 AirAsia announced a partnership with Manchester United Football Club. MU merchandise are available for sale in-flight.

A new budget terminal, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, opened in Sepang near Kuala Lumpur on 23 March 2006. Built at a cost of RM108 million (US $29.2 million), and spanning some 35,000 square metres (116,000 square feet), it is the new home for AirAsia Bhd, Thai AirAsia and Indonesia AirAsia. The terminal will initially handle 10 million passenger a year. AirAsia Group is expected to carry 8 million passengers for 2006.

On 27 March 2006, the government of Malaysia announced that AirAsia will service 96 local destinations (non-trunk routes) in Malaysia, in addition to 19 trunk domestic destinations.

Associate Companies

Services

Tourists departing an Air Asia flight at Chiang Mai International Airport in August of 2004.
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Tourists departing an Air Asia flight at Chiang Mai International Airport in August of 2004.

AirAsia flight attendants.
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AirAsia flight attendants.

Asia

Connectivity

Fleet

AirAsia's Boeing 737 at KLIA contact terminal
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AirAsia's Boeing 737 at KLIA contact terminal

As of July 2006, the AirAsia Group fleet consists of 35 Boeing 737-300 aircraft (20 under AirAsia Snd Bhd, ) and 8 Airbus 320.

AirAsia has ordered 60 Airbus A320 with the option of 40 more, the first of which arrived on December 11, 2005. The new A320 (180 seater) will enable AirAsia to further add capacity to popular routes and to start new routes.

Fleet Registrations with AirAsia Sdn Bhd

A320s: 9M-AFA, 9M-AFB, 9M-AFC, 9M-AFD, 9M-AFE, 9M-AFF, 9M-AFG, 9M-AFH
B737s: 9M-AAA, 9M-AAB, 9M-AAC, 9M-AAD, 9M-AAE, 9M-AAF, 9M-AAG, 9M-AAH, 9M-AAI, 9M-AAO, 9M-AAP, 9M-AAR, 9M-AAS, 9M-AAT, 9M-AAX, 9M-AAY, 9M-AEA, 9M-AEB, 9M-AEC, 9M-AED
Accurate at 18th July 2006

Fleet Registrations with Indonesia Air Asia

B737s: PK-AWQ, PK-AWS, PK-AWT, PK-AWU, PK-AWV, PK-AXX
Accurate at 18th July 2006

Fleet Registrations with Thai AirAsia

B737s: HS-AAJ, HS-AAK, HS-AAL, HS-AAM, HS-AAN, HS-AAQ, HS-AAU, HS-AAV, HS-AEF
Accurate at 18th July 2006

Call Centres

Other partners

Other travel services

FAX

Flights served by Fokker

Flights served by Twin Otter

Timeline

Future plans

External links

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