Air Asia To Gatwick

[KhunDave]

Noticed that the KUL-STN flight switches to Gatwick on 24th October - bit more convenient for some I guess?

[techno]

Great news for me if its true as my family and friends are only 10 miles from LGW

[theoldgit]

Mixed views on this as you would expect, good for me though.

Gatwick has excellent train services to London, even a through service to Kings Cross for those travelling north. For those who want to travel to Milton Keynes, and who wouldn't, there is a direct line which stops at Watford, which has even more connections "up north", Manchester and the like.

Whilst Gatwick has good road links, M23, Stansted is probably better for those driving north as they wouldn't have to cope with the M25.

Whilst Air Asia would no doubt like to claim the move is because of the better transport links, I understand it's pure economics, they got a good deal from the new owners of Gatwick.

Edited July 30, 2011 by theoldgit

[Ricardo]

Perhaps Air-Asia might consider, as their new long-haul fleet is delivered, Bangkok-Gatwick direct as-well-as via KUL ? With a friendly connection-service for Phuket & Chiang-Mai links onto the long-haul ? One can hope !

[Atmos]

re Gatwick - copied from post #38 on this thread

AirAsia X repositions

July 23, 2011

The re-establishment of competition between London's major airports has prompted long-haul budget carrier Malaysia's AirAsia X to switch its destination in Britain.

According to the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, AirAsia X received an "irresistible" offer to move from Stansted to Gatwick airport after the latter cut its normal airline landing charges to attract what is now south-east Asia's biggest airline group.

Gatwick is owned by an American infrastructure fund after Britain two years ago began unwinding its disastrous decision to sell London's three major airports - Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick - to a monopoly eventually controlled by the Spanish construction industry giant Ferrovial plc.

AirAsia X's chief executive, Azran Osman-Rani, says Britain's decision to impose the world's highest taxes on travellers also forced the airline's hand.

Britain's hated air passenger duty (APD) - now as high as $130 a head for travellers from Australia - means it is expensive for travellers to connect to other European destinations via London airports. However, Gatwick is nearly twice as big for passenger traffic, compared with Stansted. It is served by 46 airlines, compared with Stansted's 11, and offers AirAsia X a greater range of target customers.

more

[WilliaminBKK]

Good news for me, but I still prefer Thiefrow.

[NanLaew]

Perhaps Air-Asia might consider, as their new long-haul fleet is delivered, Bangkok-Gatwick direct as-well-as via KUL ? With a friendly connection-service for Phuket & Chiang-Mai links onto the long-haul ? One can hope !

Does this question infer that your experience at the armpit of an airport LCCT in Kuala Lumpur has been less than stellar?!

I only ever had to transit through there once and I have modified AirAsia's advertising banner to read: "Now everyone can fly!... but half of these punters really should be using a bus."

Edited July 31, 2011 by NanLaew

[Chivas]

Good news for me, but I still prefer Thiefrow.

What is this constant jibe about Heathrow ??

Have never lost anything nor has a single other person I know ??

[theoldgit]

What is this constant jibe about Heathrow ??

Have never lost anything nor has a single other person I know ??

It stems from the days when stealing from checked baggage was rife, a number of baggage handlers were jailed for their involvement. They addressed the problem, but the name lingers on.