Air Asia begins chartered flight<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Malaysia's second national airline, Air
\nAsia, launched Saturday its inaugural chartered flight to
\nPattaya, Thailand, with plans for flights to Europe and the
\nUnited States in three-to-five years.<\/p>\n
Flying commercially as the Pacific Eagle, Air Asia will
\ninitially make twice-weekly flights to Pattaya, as well as
\nKaohsiung in Taiwan and Subic Bay in the Philippines, officials
\nsaid at the launch, which came after a two-year delay.<\/p>\n
Malaysia's Transport Minister Ling Liong Sik said at the
\nlaunch of the inaugural flight using Boeing 737-300 aircraft that
\noperations would be expanded to Europe and the United States in
\nthe next three to five years.<\/p>\n
\"The airline will have gained enough experience and expertise
\nby then to penetrate into more challenging international routes,\"
\nLing said, when launching the flight at the Kuala Lumpur
\ninternational airport at Subang, outside the federal capital.<\/p>\n
Air Asia officials said the carrier planned to expand its
\nroutes to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Sulawesi in Indonesia
\nand Chiangmai and Phuket in Thailand by next April.<\/p>\n
It would handle regional routes before going global, they
\nsaid, adding that it was eyeing routes to China, India,
\nBangladesh and Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n
Air Asia was to have commenced services two years ago but was
\ngrounded after Malaysia Airline System Bhd., the first national
\nairline company, had declined to share some of its regional
\nroutes with the second airline.<\/p>\n
Ling said it was imperative for airline companies to look into
\nnew and viable sectors of operations in view of the wide air
\ntravel market and vast areas that could be exploited.<\/p>\n
Airlines should plan ahead and capitalize on the increasing
\npassenger volume particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, which
\nis forecast to record an annual growth rate of 7.5 percent
\nbetween 1995 and 2000.<\/p>\n
The passenger volume is expected to grow by seven percent
\nannually from the year 2001 to 2010, Ling said.<\/p>\n
He said the airline could also tap the Asia-Pacific market
\nafter obtaining landing rights from countries in that region.<\/p>\n
Heavy Industries Corporation of Malaysia (HICOM) Bhd holds 85
\npercent equity while local aviation firm, Mofaz Sdn Bhd, holds
\nthe remaining 15 percent in Air Asia, which was incorporated in
\nlate 1993.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/air-asia-begins-chartered-flight-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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