AirAsia CEO says plans to resume flights to Europe next year

[webfact]

AirAsia CEO says plans to resume flights to Europe next year
Reuters in Sydney, Australia

HONG KONG: -- AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes said AirAsia X, the long-haul arm of Asia’s biggest budget airline, plans to resume flights to Europe early next year using new, fuel-efficient jets to tap into growing demand from travellers.

Speaking to reporters in Sydney on Thursday about the carrier’s operations, Fernandes also said the search for passengers from crashed AirAsia Flight QZ8501 will be called off within days. The jet plunged into the Java Sea en route from Indonesia to Singapore on Dec. 28, with no survivors among the 162 people on board.

In a renewed push into Europe after unprofitable routes squeezed AirAsia into its first net loss in two years, Fernandes said that London will be the likely first destination for AirAsia X flights. It previously operated Airbus Group A340s to London and Paris, but cancelled those services in 2012, saying the low-cost model could not work until it had more fuel-efficient planes with a similar range.

Full story: http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-east-asia/article/1735812/airasia-ceo-says-plans-resume-flights-europe-next-year

-- South China Morning Post 2015-03-12

[Anthony5]

They may get competition.

http://www.lufthansagroup.com/en/press/news-releases/singleview/archive/2015/march/04/article/3449.html

With the official sales launch at the International Tourism Exchange (ITB) in Berlin, short and long-haul routes can now be booked with new Eurowings to fly from 25 October 2015 onwards. Eurowings intercontinental flights depart from Cologne/Bonn Airport. The cheapest tickets on the long-haul routes are already on offer from EUR 99.99 per route. The first flights will take off to the Caribbean, Dubai and Thailand.

[UTH001]

They may get competition.

http://www.lufthansagroup.com/en/press/news-releases/singleview/archive/2015/march/04/article/3449.html

With the official sales launch at the International Tourism Exchange (ITB) in Berlin, short and long-haul routes can now be booked with new Eurowings to fly from 25 October 2015 onwards. Eurowings intercontinental flights depart from Cologne/Bonn Airport. The cheapest tickets on the long-haul routes are already on offer from EUR 99.99 per route. The first flights will take off to the Caribbean, Dubai and Thailand.

Read the fine print (i.e. luggage, food, drinks, seat allocation etc), then not so cheap any longer!

[Xircal]

AirAsia is suffering some bad publicity at the moment after cancelling flights indefinitely between Adelaide and Kuala Lumpur due to lack of profitability, but failing to refund the cost of tickets: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-12/air-asia-stalls-on-flight-refunds-for-cancelled-adelaide-route/6307922

As for renewed flights to London, passengers that used to fly with AirAsia X will have already have found alternative routes by now and if they're satisfied with their present carrier, they're not going to switch back to AA again.

AA would be better off flying from Amsterdam as well because no Air Passenger Duty is levied on flights from AMS like it is in the UK: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Passenger_Duty

[Anthony5]

They may get competition.

http://www.lufthansagroup.com/en/press/news-releases/singleview/archive/2015/march/04/article/3449.html

With the official sales launch at the International Tourism Exchange (ITB) in Berlin, short and long-haul routes can now be booked with new Eurowings to fly from 25 October 2015 onwards. Eurowings intercontinental flights depart from Cologne/Bonn Airport. The cheapest tickets on the long-haul routes are already on offer from EUR 99.99 per route. The first flights will take off to the Caribbean, Dubai and Thailand.

Read the fine print (i.e. luggage, food, drinks, seat allocation etc), then not so cheap any longer!

Isn't that the same with all low cost carriers, which includes AirAsia?

[duncanb]

I really do not think most people stick with one airline just because they are satisfied, I think flights (paid for by individuals, not companies) are a bit like car insurance, people generally shop around for the best deal available.

AirAsia is suffering some bad publicity at the moment after cancelling flights indefinitely between Adelaide and Kuala Lumpur due to lack of profitability, but failing to refund the cost of tickets: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-12/air-asia-stalls-on-flight-refunds-for-cancelled-adelaide-route/6307922

As for renewed flights to London, passengers that used to fly with AirAsia X will have already have found alternative routes by now and if they're satisfied with their present carrier, they're not going to switch back to AA again.

AA would be better off flying from Amsterdam as well because no Air Passenger Duty is levied on flights from AMS like it is in the UK: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Passenger_Duty

[kinmaew]

They are getting a bad rap and bad service is rife. I know that legally they had no obligation but when I cancelled my flight from Surabaya just after this tragic event and went from Jakarta instead, explained that I was scared to fly from Surabaya with all the commotion and really a "city of death"; I just got the standard response absolutely no empathy shown whatsoever. I'll show the same when I take my next trip.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

AirAsia is suffering some bad publicity at the moment after cancelling flights indefinitely between Adelaide and Kuala Lumpur due to lack of profitability, but failing to refund the cost of tickets: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-12/air-asia-stalls-on-flight-refunds-for-cancelled-adelaide-route/6307922

Wow! In reading that article, it certainly seems that AirAsia is jerking around those passengers in all too familiar style.

Leaving the crash issue aside, it's that kind of corporate behavior that would cause me to avoid doing business with a company.

Treat your customers right and fairly, or don't expect their continued business.

[neverdie]

AirAsia is suffering some bad publicity at the moment after cancelling flights indefinitely between Adelaide and Kuala Lumpur due to lack of profitability, but failing to refund the cost of tickets: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-12/air-asia-stalls-on-flight-refunds-for-cancelled-adelaide-route/6307922

As for renewed flights to London, passengers that used to fly with AirAsia X will have already have found alternative routes by now and if they're satisfied with their present carrier, they're not going to switch back to AA again.

AA would be better off flying from Amsterdam as well because no Air Passenger Duty is levied on flights from AMS like it is in the UK: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Passenger_Duty

What a trap airline. Shonky to the core.

Why anyone would even contemplate flying with these buffoons is beyond me.

[neverdie]

I really do not think most people stick with one airline just because they are satisfied, I think flights (paid for by individuals, not companies) are a bit like car insurance, people generally shop around for the best deal available.

AirAsia is suffering some bad publicity at the moment after cancelling flights indefinitely between Adelaide and Kuala Lumpur due to lack of profitability, but failing to refund the cost of tickets: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-12/air-asia-stalls-on-flight-refunds-for-cancelled-adelaide-route/6307922

As for renewed flights to London, passengers that used to fly with AirAsia X will have already have found alternative routes by now and if they're satisfied with their present carrier, they're not going to switch back to AA again.

AA would be better off flying from Amsterdam as well because no Air Passenger Duty is levied on flights from AMS like it is in the UK: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Passenger_Duty

I shop by airline and the only thing that makes me differ from my top 3-4 airlines is if the don't fly that sector at all.

I'd rather walk, swim or bounce on my little jimmy rather than put my life into the hands of these incompetent buffoons.

[phrodan]

That's amazing - I've flown with AA about seventy times and never received anything but the service I paid for, and expected. The one time that I was late for a flight, they graciously transferred me to another flight for a minimal cost.

In saying that - they can't win. Some people want five star service on a low cost airline. They actually get offended at having to do simple things like, walk across the tarmac and climb steps up to the aircraft.

I'm pretty sure there are far more incompetent buffoons that fly with AA every day than have ever worked for the company.

Edited March 14, 2015 by phrodan