SEPANG: AirAsia is expanding its domestic connectivity across Malaysia with the addition of 2,000 weekly flights and 150,000 seats across 40 key routes by the end of the year.
The move is aimed at meeting the enormous year-end seasonal demand and boost domestic travel in the process.
The company is also expecting the additional flights and seats to elevate its market share to 64%, while also targeting the exercise to increase group revenue by another 20%.
AirAsia Malaysia managing director Datuk Captain Fareh Mazputra said the move emphasises the group’s commitment to improving connectivity and ensuring travel remains accessible and affordable for Malaysians.
“As we expand our domestic operations with a total of 1.7 million seats available for booking by December 2024, we are not just meeting the travel needs of Malaysians – we are also opening doors for regional travellers to explore and experience Malaysia’s unique destinations, cultural heartlands, and world-famous cuisines,” he told a media conference here yesterday.
Elaborating, he said the flight additions will be carried out progressively towards the end of the year.
Like many other airlines, he said although AirAsia is also navigating challenges such as aircraft shortages and supply chain disruptions, the airline has made it a priority to manage these issues with careful planning, operational efficiency and reliable service recovery, whilst ensuring the safety of its customers.
Fareh commented that the company’s continued contribution to Malaysia’s aviation sector has been crucial in positioning Kuala Lumpur International Airport as one of the top low-cost carrier mega hubs globally.He added that AirAsia’s market leadership is more than just about flying more routes, but would also include playing a pivotal role in supporting the national economy and enhancing connectivity.
“However, these efforts cannot be done by AirAsia alone. We call on all stakeholders – government, airports, tourism bodies and other industry players – to join forces with us so we can collectively make travel more accessible and affordable for everyone, especially Malaysians,” he said.
Of interest, in tandem with its additional domestic flights initiative, the airline also introduced AirAsia Plus, which offers added value to guests flying to and from the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport.
Fareh revealed that the AirAsia Plus fare includes seven kg cabin baggage, 20kg checked baggage, seat selection, inflight meal/snack and baggage and on-time guarantee insurance, and will be available for booking starting Oct 8, for the travel period from Oct 9.
“This is part of our broader effort to offer more to our guests, without compromising on affordability. AirAsia Plus is designed with our guests’ needs in mind, ensuring they get the most out of their journey with us.
“It is not just about extra services, it is about delivering a better travel experience that our guests can rely on,” he added.
AirAsia’s attempt to increase domestic flights has coincided with beleaguered national carrier Malaysia Airlines’ (MAS) announcement late last month that it would reduce network capacity by 20% across its airlines this year amid a shortage of planes, labour and parts.
AirAsia’s move could also be seen as a response to the call by Transport Minister Anthony Loke, who reported that his ministry will try to obtain cooperation from other airlines to ensure that their flight frequencies are maintained, or even increased, especially for Sabah and Sarawak routes.
MAS has said in a statement that the reduction would involve domestic flights as well as routes in South-East Asia, North Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Greater China, South Asia and the Middle East.
On the other hand, Fareh hopes that MAS will stage a recovery soon, observing that traffic is seasonally much heavier towards the end of the year and ample supply to meet the demand is necessary.
“We need all industry players to be back because if there is a shortage in plane tickets or seats, it just means airfares will skyrocket.
“We need to join hands to make sure travel is easy for every Malaysian,” he remarked.
The latest figures show that AirAsia has a fleet size of 102 aircraft in Malaysia, with 79 operational and 85 activated. The airline intends to bring all 102 aircraft back into operations by early 2025.
