AIR ASIA X : D7 : XAX :

AirAsia X, the long haul low fare affiliate of AirAsia has recorded another strong growth in the third quarter of 2011, carrying 0.62 million passengers, an increase of 21.3% over the same quarter in 2010.

In terms of passenger traffic, AirAsia X grew by 27.2% to 3.6 billion Revenue-Passenger-Kms (RPKs) for Q3-2011, achieving similar levels in the earlier two quarters and solidifying its position as the second-largest low-cost carrier in Southeast Asia, after Malaysia’s AirAsia.

Its capacity grew by 17% to 4.5 billion Available Seat-Kms (ASKs), resulting in a load factor of 80%.

This represents an increase of 6 percentage-points from the same quarter in 2010, where it registered a load factor of 74%.

AirAsia X has been able to buck the trend of softening load factors experienced by other long-haul legacy carriers amidst the current economic climate.

All routes that AirAsia X has operated over a year have yielded positive increases in load factor.

For the 9-months Year-to-date, AirAsia X has carried 1.9 million passengers, up 42.6% from the previous year’s corresponding period, and a higher load factor of 80%, up 5 percentage-points from the previous year.

This brings total passenger traffic to 10.6 billion RPKs and 13.3 billion ASKs, a growth of 46.8% and 37.2% year-on-year respectively.

Cargo operations continue to be strong, with AirAsia X carrying 9,220 tons of freight in Q3-2011, registering a 33.2% growth from a year ago.

Cargo load factor stands at 69% while its Flown-as-Booked ratio has reached an industry-leading level of 93%.

“In addition to our continued unit cost industry-leadership, AirAsia X has focused on achieving superior on-time performance reliability for our flights, registering an on-time rate of 89% flights departing within 15 minutes of schedule, for both Q3-2011 and 2011 year-to-date.

This proves that even though we are a low cost carrier, we do not compromise on reliability,” says Azran Osman-Rani, CEO of AirAsia X.

Currently, its aircraft fleet remains at 9 Airbus A330s and 2 Airbus A340 with an order of three new A330-200s scheduled for delivery in 2012.

This new aircraft purchase will replace the A340 used for flights into Europe and is expected to help increase fuel efficiency.

AirAsia X is expecting further growth in the final quarter of 2011, as it will be launching its flights to Osaka, Japan from 30 November, as well as additional flights to Australia and Taiwan during the peak December period.

Jeannot a écrit:La LCC Malaisienne AIR ASIA X qui abait décide de créer un hub au moyen orient afin de pouvoir simplement desservir l'Europe et l'Afrique du Nord a choisi Abu Dhabi. Je serai curieux de voir les réactions des compagnies du golfe et en particulier de Etihad, Qatar, Gulf Air ou même Emirates.

KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia's Group CEO Tony Fernandes has confirmed that Abu Dhabi will be the new Middle East hub for its long-haul carrier AirAsia X.

Having a hub means that the carrier will be able to base its planes outside Kuala Lumpur, and it will not be limited to servicing destinations within an eight-hour radius from the Malaysian capital.

This will allow its network to extend to North Africa and Europe, as it can use the Middle East port as a stopover.

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The long-haul unit of Asian budget carrier AirAsia said Thursday it would suspend services to Paris and London and cut India flights in a bid to rein in costs.

2012 AFP

Malaysian long-haul low-cost carrier AirAsia X is suspending its services to London Gatwick and Paris Orly, as well as its flights to Mumbai and New Delhi.

"These changes will improve operating cost efficiencies and consolidate (AirAsia X's) network to focus on markets where it can build a leadership position in 2012," said short-haul low-cost carrier AirAsia's associate in a statement.

It plans to focus on its "core markets" in Australia, China, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, and open up new services and add frequencies on existing ones, it added.

"AirAsia X remains focused on maintaining its global leadership position in the low cost, long-haul segment," said the airline's CEO Azran Osman-Rani in a statement.

"The continued high jet fuel prices and the weakening demand for air travel from Europe, brought about by the current economic situation together with exorbitant government taxes, have placed cost pressures on operating long-haul low-cost flights between Asia and Europe, compromising our ability to offer the low fares AirAsia X is known for."

He added that the implementation of the European Union's Emissions Trading System and the escalating Air Passenge

Duty taxes in the UK, which are set to rise again in April, forced the airline's hand.

Visa restrictions for travel between India and Malaysia, and the increase in airport and handling charges in India, resulted in a "structure not conducive to the low-cost model", he added. The airline could reinstate the Mumbai and New Delhi services when these issues are resolved, he said.

AirAsia X's four-times weekly Kuala Lumpur-Mumbai services will be suspended on 31 January, the daily service to New Delhi will be reduced to four-times weekly in March and suspended from 22 March, the six-times weekly London service will be suspended on 31 March, and the four-times weekly Mumbai service on 30 March.

Asian budget carrier AirAsia X said Tuesday it will start flying daily services to Sydney from Kuala Lumpur, barely a week after announcing a suspension of flights to Paris and London.

2012 AFP

• "It's not about being right, it's about doing right".
  

• "Il ne s'agit pas d'avoir raison, mais de faire ce qui est équitable".
  
• Dans le "business", on pourrait dire, "Il ne s'agit pas d'avoir raison ou tort, mais d'être dans l'axe de la pertinence".
  

Malaysian long-haul budget carrier AirAsia X said its decision to scrap unprofitable routes to Europe would not affect its order for 10 Airbus A350 passenger planes, chief executive Azran Osman Rani said.

"The A350 orders are for 2017 and beyond. Europe may have very well bounced back by then, so it is good to have options, it is good to have forward capacity." Azran told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Singapore on Thursday.

The carrier may take out its two Airbus A340s, which served the European routes, from the fleet and lease them out, he said.

Last month, AirAsia X decided to pull out its services to Europe and India due to weak demand and a row over the European Union emission charges and redeploy its capacity to Asia and Australia.

The withdrawal from London and Paris also means AirAsia X will compete more directly with Qantas' budget carrier Jetstar and Singapore Airlines' new long-haul subsidiary Scoot, which will launch its maiden flight to Sydney in the first half of 2012.

AirAsia X was founded by Malaysian tycoon Tony Fernandes who also runs AirAsia - one of the world's largest short-haul low-cost carriers - which is run as a separate entity.

Azran said AirAsia X plans to list its IPO after the listing of the group's Thailand and Indonesian affiliates. He declined to provide details.

(Reuters)

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia X (D7) have signed a re-accommodation agreement following the cancellation of four D7 routes to Mumbai, New Delhi, London and Paris.

D7 will use excess capacity on MAS flights as it begins to tackle its extensive financial problems ([Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]).

“The related revenue from this arrangement is pure incremental revenue for the airline and would significantly contribute to the profitability of Malaysia Airlines,” MAS said in a statement, adding that it has already received MYR20million ($6.53 million) as prepayment.

Separately, MAS and Bangkok Airways (PG) began a codeshare agreement on selected domestic flights and international routes between Thailand and Malaysia, the Kuala Lumpur-based airline said.

The agreement, effective March 25, allows MAS to set its MH marketing flight code on PG’s services for Bangkok (BKK)-Koh Samui (USM) (31 weekly flights), BKK-Phuket (HKT) (14 weekly flights), BKK-Chiang Mai (14 weekly flights), USM-HKT (14 weekly flights) and the daily USM-Kuala Lumpur (KUL) service.

MAS is also using its new schedule to increase frequencies between KUL and Beijing, Manila, Phnom Penh, Los Angeles, Taipei, BKK, Medan and Jakarta, taking advantage of anticipated increasing demand on these routes.

These sectors will see a gradual increase in capacity from 19,540 seats to 24,820 seats by May 1 and will be operated using mainly Boeing 737-800 and 777-200 aircraft.

Hugot2 a écrit:Accord Air Asia X avec MAS.
Les routes citées ne sont pas interrompues malgré l'arrêt de lignes par Air Asia X

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Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia X (D7) have signed a re-accommodation agreement following the cancellation of four D7 routes to Mumbai, New Delhi, London and Paris.

D7 will use excess capacity on MAS flights as it begins to tackle its extensive financial problems ([Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]).

“The related revenue from this arrangement is pure incremental revenue for the airline and would significantly contribute to the profitability of Malaysia Airlines,” MAS said in a statement, adding that it has already received MYR20million ($6.53 million) as prepayment.

Separately, MAS and Bangkok Airways (PG) began a codeshare agreement on selected domestic flights and international routes between Thailand and Malaysia, the Kuala Lumpur-based airline said.

The agreement, effective March 25, allows MAS to set its MH marketing flight code on PG’s services for Bangkok (BKK)-Koh Samui (USM) (31 weekly flights), BKK-Phuket (HKT) (14 weekly flights), BKK-Chiang Mai (14 weekly flights), USM-HKT (14 weekly flights) and the daily USM-Kuala Lumpur (KUL) service.

MAS is also using its new schedule to increase frequencies between KUL and Beijing, Manila, Phnom Penh, Los Angeles, Taipei, BKK, Medan and Jakarta, taking advantage of anticipated increasing demand on these routes.

These sectors will see a gradual increase in capacity from 19,540 seats to 24,820 seats by May 1 and will be operated using mainly Boeing 737-800 and 777-200 aircraft.

AirAsia X will concentrate on the medium-haul market, and relook the long-haul segment only after it receives its first Airbus A350-900.

The low-cost airline, which has a fleet of Airbus A330-300s, needs the A350's "efficiencies" to make the long-haul operations economical, says AirAsia's group chief executive Tony Fernandes.

The four-engined Airbus A340-300s, which AirAsia's affiliate was operating on services to Paris and London before they were suspended in March, are a "tough aircraft", he adds.

"We see the sweet spot as between four and eight hours. Long-haul will work with a two-engined high density aircraft and so we're waiting for the A350. Right now, we just don't have enough seats and the economics don't work," says Fernandes.

AirAsia X should receive its first A350, which will have a two-class configuration with 10 seats abreast in economy, in 2015 if there are no delays from Airbus, says Fernandes. The carrier has 10 A350s on order.

Earlier this year, AirAsia X suspended services to Paris, London, Mumbai, New Delhi and Christchurch because of rising fuel costs and also to improve operating efficiency.

Its two A340s, which are on lease till 2015, have also been grounded.

(KUALA LUMPUR) British business magnate Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic Airways is expected to sell its 10 per cent stake in AirAsia X to existing shareholders for more than US$21 million, a report said yesterday.

The move comes as Malaysia-based AirAsia X, one of the world's few long-haul budget carriers, prepares for listing at the end of this year.

"The stake (belonging to Virgin Atlantic) will be taken up by Aero Ventures and AirAsia on a pro rata basis," The Edge financial newspaper said.

AirAsia X CEO Azran Osman-Rani told AFP he was not aware of plans for Virgin to exit the firm.

UK-based Virgin Group, parent company of Virgin Atlantic Airways (VS), has sold its 10% stake in Malaysia’s AirAsia X (D7), the long-haul, low-cost carrier (LCC).

The move comes as Virgin Group realigns its investments to concentrate more closely on its own brand.

“We can confirm that Virgin Group … has sold its 10% stake in AirAsia X,” external relations director Nick Fox told ATW. “The terms of the deal remain confidential. We sold to existing shareholders.”

In a written statement, the company added: “Virgin Group has a large number of new and exciting investment opportunities in development. We now prioritize resources where we can have the most impact and also use the Virgin brand.

“While AirAsia X has been a very successful investment for us, it does not use the Virgin brand and we feel it is the right time to exit to focus on our branded portfolio. We are proud to have worked with (AirAsia CEO) Tony (Fernandes) to develop the initial business case for AirAsia X and wish them well for the future.

D7 did not immediately comment on VS’s sale of its shareholding. According to Malaysian financial newspaper The Edge, the shareholding has been sold to AirAsia and Malaysian company Aero Ventures for around $21 million. Aero Ventures is a holding company established by Fernandes and others to invest in aviation-related projects.

D7 is an associate long-haul carrier of regional LCC Air Asia. VS originally took a 20% stake in the company in 2007 ([Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]).

International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), a wholly owned subsidiary of American International Group, Inc. (NYSE: AIG), announced today that AirAsia X, a low-cost, long-haul affiliate of AirAsia, has signed a letter of intent with ILFC for the lease of six Airbus A330-300 aircraft.

The aircraft are scheduled for delivery between 2013 and 2014, and will be operated on the airline’s expanding network in Asia Pacific, which includes the markets of Australia, China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan and its surrounding regions.

These aircraft are the same model as those that AirAsia X purchased directly from Airbus, with Rolls Royce Trent 700 engines and a Maximum Take-Off Weight of 233 tons.

AirAsia X will lease the six aircraft on a 10-year lease term.

The leased aircraft will be reconfigured to meet AirAsia X’s existing Airbus A330-300 configuration, which consists of 12 premium flatbeds and 365 economy seats.

“These six aircraft, together with existing delivery orders from Airbus, will see AirAsia X’s growth develop, with a total of seven deliveries each in 2013 and 2014, with the aim of being the dominant market leader in the low-cost long-haul segment,” said AirAsia X CEO Azran Osman-Rani.

“We intend to deploy the additional capacity with a vision to solidify our positions in our identified core markets including Australia, China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan.

Our commitment to have a standardized, young, and fuel efficient fleet optimizes our resources and provides better value for our guests.”

AirAsia X’s Co-founder and Director, Tony Fernandes commented, “AirAsia X’s partnership with ILFC will further complement the AirAsia Group’s long-term vision of developing its presence in key markets in Asia, and strengthening the connectivity between the AirAsia’s short haul and AirAsia X long haul low cost network for the benefit of passengers’ convenience.

This would hopefully fulfill our pledge – Now Everyone Can Fly further.”