Friday, July 21, 2006

AirAsia eyes more international flights from Kuching

KUCHING - Low cost carrier, AirAsia hopes to introduce more direct international flights from Kuching following the opening here of the airline's second hub in East Malaysia.

Its Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Datuk Tony Fernandes said for a start the airline was looking at introducing direct flights from Kuching to Bangkok, Thailand and Jakarta, Indonesia.

Speaking to reporters after the launching of AirAsia's Kuching Hub here Thursday by State Urban Development and Tourism Minister Datuk Sri Wong Soon Koh, he said applications have already been made to fly to the two destinations from Kuching.

AirAsia's first hub in East Malaysia was opened in Kota Kinabalu earlier this month. "Most probably the flights will start beginning next year," he said, adding that the airline was looking to include Macau and Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei as potential destinations. As for its new hub in Kuching, Fernandes said AirAsia expected to fly a total of 2.6 million passengers by next year to Kuching International Airport and up to 3.5 million in 2010.

He was also confident that with assistance of the state goverment and tourism agency in Sarawak, the low cost airline would be able to tap the tourism market with attractive packages.

Source: BERNAMA

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