AirAsia aims for a fleet of 400 planes to serve region

BANGKOK: -- AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes foresees the day when his airline will operate a fleet of more than 400 aircraft.

Speaking at the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation’s (CAPA) “Outlook 2006 Summit” in Kuala Lumpur this week, Fernandes said AirAsia could grow as big as the US low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines. So far, the company has more than 100 planes and continues ordering new aircraft to achieve its expansion plans.

Its role model, Southwest Airlines, began business with three aircraft and it now operates a fleet of more than 400. While Southwest Airlines focuses only on the US market, AirAsia has a wider, regional field of operation, Fernandes said.

The AirAsia chief executive was recently named CAPA’s aviation executive of the year, a distinction he has held for two consecutive years.

He said that the past two years have been a time of investment in AirAsia’s network, and it is expected to begin paying off soon.

The airline recently signed an agreement to buy 60 Airbus A320 aircraft, the first of which will be delivered to Kuala Lumpur today. The aircraft are expected to reduce AirAsia’s costs by 12 per cent – mainly through more efficient use of fuel – while offering better service to its customers.

The Malaysian carrier and its international joint ventures in Thailand and Indonesia are profitable operations, he said. This is the first year that all three operations have seen positive cash flow.

“It’s a great time to be in the airline business if you’ve got the right business model,” Fernandes said.

--The Nation 2005-12-07

Just think, now they'll be able to be late by a combined total of 1000hrs a day.

cv

Tony seems to have not only Southwest Airlines as an example, but also Ryanair's CEO Micheal O'Leary. Well, if he can build op his airline to the size of Southwest or Ryanair, good for him!

We might see more stunts like "2,000,000 free seats" then.

Personally, I like the A320 more than the 737. I wonder whether Air Asia will start flights from U-Taphao?