AirAsia to get MAS routes<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR: National carrier Malaysia Airlines may pass on
\nmost of its loss-making domestic flight routes to budget airline
\nAirAsia, the News Straits Times daily reported on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The newspaper quoted unidentified sources as saying that
\nMalaysian Airline System Bhd (MAS) would probably concentrate on
\nflights to major cities -- Penang, Langkawi, Kuching and Kota
\nKinabalu -- and give the rest to AirAsia.<\/p>\n
The deal is likely to be announced by the end of the month,
\nthe report said.<\/p>\n
It said MAS had operational losses of 281 million ringgit
\n(US$74 million) for domestic flights in fiscal 2004, about 80
\npercent more than the 156.7 million ringgit in losses it incurred
\nthe previous year.<\/p>\n
AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes did not confirm the
\nreported deal, but told the Times he supported the idea.<\/p>\n
\"Consumers will benefit from the ability to get services at a
\ncheaper rate for domestic routes ... and have more choices in
\nterms of cheaper fares,\" he was quoted as saying.<\/p>\n
AirAsia, which currently serves 15 destinations within
\nMalaysia, is in competition with MAS. It also flies to China,
\nIndonesia, Macau, Singapore and Thailand, and is planning flights
\nto Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.<\/p>\n
It carried 1.8 million passengers in 2003, an estimated 3.2
\nmillion passengers in 2004, and expects passenger numbers to rise
\nto six million in 2005. -- AP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/airasia-to-get-mas-routes-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}