AWAIR changes name to Indonesia AirAsia

AWAIR changes name to Indonesia AirAsia

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta

AWAIR announced on Wednesday it had changed its name to
Indonesia AirAsia, in a move that will help the low-cost carrier
capitalize on the goodwill and name recognition generated by
shareholder AirAsia, the successful Malaysian-based no-frills
airline.

The name change was approved during a shareholders' meeting in
September and will take effect on Dec. 1, president director
Sendjaja Widjaja said on Wednesday.

As part of this new strategy, all domestic and regional
flights to, from and in Indonesia, previously operated on
separate accounts by AWAIR and AirAsia, will be integrated under
Indonesia AirAsia.

Indonesia AirAsia has already begun replacing the old AWAIR
logo with the new Indonesia AirAsia logo on all of its marketing
and promotional materials, as well as on its aircraft.

"Our passengers will fly on airplanes bearing the Indonesia
AirAsia logo starting on Dec. 1," publicity and promotions
executive Jovita Sadikin said.

Indonesia AirAsia currently operates four Boeing 737-300
serving six domestic routes and an international route to Kuala
Lumpur.

It has flown more than 630,000 passengers as of November 2005.

The company plans to add six planes to its fleet next year and
to operate 30 planes by 2010.

"With this makeover we will continue to improve the quality of
our services as the first low-cost airline in Indonesia,"
Sendjaja said.

AirAsia bought a 49 percent stake in the nearly bankrupt AWAIR
in December last year, making it the single largest shareholder.

AirAsia operates both domestically and regionally.