Air Asia to open three new low-cost routes

Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung

Beginning on April 10, Malaysian Airlines' Asia Air will open three new routes providing direct flights from three cities in Malaysia to three cities in Indonesia, a company spokesman says.

Air Asia chairman Pahamin A. Rajab said on Wednesday the new routes were being opened as part of the company's focus on providing direct flights to Indonesia.

The first route will be available starting April 10 and will connect Johor Baru with Jakarta at a price of Rp 99,900 (US$11.75). The second will be opened on April 12 and will link Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, with Bandung at a price of Rp 149,999. The last route will begin operating on April 15 and will provide direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Surabaya at a price of Rp 299,999.

The three routes will operate seven days a week and all flights will be served by 148-seat Boeing 737-300 aircraft.

Air Asia chief executive officer Tony Fernandes said the low prices of the flights were aimed at boosting demand from middle- class passengers, who are often overlooked by airline companies.

Fernandes said that with its focus on middle-class passengers, Air Asia carried an annual of four million passengers in Malaysia "without hurting other airline companies".

He said he could not provide an estimated number of passengers on the new routes, but added that he was optimistic the occupancy rate of each Air Asia flight would reach about 75 percent of total available seats.