Air Asia to introduce air-pass for ASEAN

[geovalin]

May Kunmakara

Low-cost carrier Air Asia is to launch a regional air pass next year in an effort to boost revenues and increase tourism in Southeast Asia.

The pass will allow travellers to fly to 10 different ASEAN destinations in one month for $148, according to Tony Fernandes, AirAsia’s group CEO.

In a company statement released on Thursday, Fernandes said with the ASEAN economic integration due next year, the budget carriers new intuitive would help stimulate connectivity in the region.

“The most convenient way to move around Asean is by air, given that we live in places separated by large bodies of water, as well as being home to the two largest archipelago nations in the world – Indonesia and the Philippines. The challenge was to make air travel affordable and the Asean Pass will be the catalyst for a new chapter of air travel,” he said in a statement.

Ho Vandy, co-chair of the Private and Public Tourism Sector Working Group, a government-business initiative, welcomed the news of cheaper fares for travelers in the region, but said he hoped the airline would maintain cheap fares during peak season.

“They have to make sure that even though they get more passengers, they still keep the same fare,” he said.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BLOOMBERG

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/air-asia-introduce-air-pass-asean

[phuketrichard]

note it does NOT include the departure tax ( international now 700 baht average)