Ams-Fly

Air Asia X Airbus Flight To Perth New Reclining Seats

2010-07-01T16:27:00.000+08:00

air asia X,the malaysia Low Cost Carrier,have added new reclining economy class seats
to their fleet, New Economy Seat are spacious and comfortable, 31" seat pitch for airbus A330, 32" seat pitch for A340
offering more legroom
all airasia australian flights from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur to perth are operated by airbus a330 a340 plane with the new seats .

experience and discover all that Perth and Australia’s South West has to offer

Now with added frequency, you can fly from Perth to Bali twice daily,cheap tickets as low as AUD 99 one way. Enjoy the sun’s warm rays on the white sandy beaches or surf on the waves of Kuta Beach. Spa like a Goddess and watch the evening sunset make its magnificent appearance. Catch anyone of our flights to Bali straight from Perth now

Original post from HERE

Skytrax Names AirAsia the World’s Best Low Cost Airline

2010-06-08T05:07:00.000+08:00

In the annual global survey conducted by respected London-based aviation consultants Skytrax, almost 18 million travelers polled worldwide chose AirAsia as the World’s Best Low Cost Airline for the second consecutive year. AirAsia came out tops in the independent survey that measures airlines’ product and service standards.

AirAsia Chairman Dato’ Abdul Aziz Abu Bakar accepted the award on behalf of the airline at the ceremony in Hamburg, Germany, Thursday. In the same ceremony, AirAsia was also named Best Low Cost Airline Asia.

Dato’ Sri Dr Tony Fernandes, AirAsia Group CEO, said, “We are proud to be recognised as the world’s best for a second consecutive year. The Skytrax award is very special to us because it is voted on by passengers. It reaffirms once again that we are the People’s Champion.”

“The award is public and global recognition for the efforts of my colleagues, the AirAsia Allstars. They are the foundation of AirAsia’s success. The dedication, commitment, creativity and hard work they display every day, day in and day out, enable AirAsia not just to compete but also succeed on the global stage. And we’re just over eight years old!” Fernandes added.

AirAsia’s superstar status rides on the wings of its consumer-friendly products and services, including low fares, a modern fleet, an extensive network and great flight frequencies, convenient booking and payment channels, and choose-your-own features for meals, seats and baggage allowances.

The airline is known for its innovations, popularizing technology-backed travel services such as web bookings; web, mobile and kiosk check-in services; and the use of real-time interactive platforms such as YouTube, blog, Facebook and Twitter in communicating with guests.

AirAsia’s operations are anchored in its mission to democratise travel, encapsulated in its tagline Now everyone can fly. It has ferried more than 92 million guests to date. AirAsia has also established itself as the Truly Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) airline, with its unmatched connectivity in the region and its “sky bridges” – routes – that link the capitals and communities of Southeast Asia to each other and beyond.

Since its launch as a Low-Cost Carrier in late 2001, AirAsia has grown from 250 employees, two aircraft and one destination to an Asean-wide Group with almost 7,500 employees, 92 aircraft and more than 65 destinations. AirAsia has been operationally profitable from day one of its launch as a low-cost carrier. Together with its low-cost, long-haul affiliate AirAsia X, the airline now links three continents – Asia, Australia and Europe.

AirAsia X tingkatkan kekerapan penerbangan ke Hangzhou

2010-02-11T07:33:00.000+08:00

10/02/2010 3:03pm

KUALA LUMPUR 10 Feb. – Syarikat penerbangan jarak jauh kepada AirAsia, AirAsia X, akan meningkatkan kekerapan penerbangannya ke Hangzhou, laluan kepada Shanghai, dengan penerbangan harian bermula 28 Mac, 2010.

"Sambutannya amat menggalakkan memandangkan kami mengendalikan lebih 70 peratus faktor muatan untuk laluan Hangzhou-Kuala Lumpur,” kata Ketua Komersil Serantau AirAsia, Kathleen Tan.

Dalam satu kenyataan hari ini, beliau berkata, syarikat penerbangan itu sentiasa menyifatkan Hangzhou sebagai laluan timurnya ke rantau Delta Yangtze kerana ia mengambil masa hanya 75 minit ke Shanghai dengan kereta api laju.

AirAsia X akan bertolak dari Kuala Lumpur pada pukul 8.10 pagi dan tiba di Hangzhou pada 1.10 tengah hari setiap hari Isnin, Rabu dan Jumaat dan pada 5.20 petang untuk sampai ke destinasinya pada pukul 10.20 malam setiap Selasa, Sabtu dan Ahad.

Penerbangan dari Hangzhou akan berangkat pada pukul 2.10 pm dan tiba di Kuala Lumpur pada pukul 7.10 malam setiap Isnin, Rabu, Khamis dan Jumaat dan pada pukul 11.20 malam untuk tiba di sini pada pukul 4.20 pagi setiap Selasa, Sabtu dan Ahad.

AirAsia mempunyai 198 penerbangan setiap minggu dari pelbagai destinasi di ASEAN ke sembilan destinasi di China termasuk Hong Kong dan Macau.

Second Boeing 787 Dreamliner Completes Test Flight

2010-01-01T06:47:00.000+08:00

The 787 Dreamliner is powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines

The second Boeing 787 Dreamliner, ZA002, completed its first flight yesterday, just seven days after the very first 787 Dreamliner made its debut test flight.

The all-new plane, which features the livery of the Dreamliner's launch customer, ANA (All Nippon Airways) of Japan, took off from Paine Field in Everett, completed a two-hour flight, and landed at Boeing Field in Seattle.

“We are delighted that the second Dreamliner is in the livery of our launch customer, ANA,” said Scott Fancher, Vice President and General Manager of the 787 program. “We are honoured by the airline’s support and look forward to delivering ANA the first production airplane next year.”

Captain Randy Neville was at the controls for the flight, with Chief Pilot Mike Carriker operating as Co-pilot. Neville and Carriker took the plane to an altitude of 13,000 feet (3,962 m) and an airspeed of 200 knots, or about 230 miles (370 km) per hour.

The aircraft took off at 9:09 a.m. PST and landed at 11:10 a.m. PST.

This is the second of six 787s being used in the Dreamliner’s flight-test program. Each of these aeroplanes will be used for a specific set of tests, with this particular aeroplane focusing on systems performance.

“We would like to convey our sincere congratulations to the Boeing team for its achievement of this milestone, and we look forward to the delivery into our fleet next year,” said Shinichiro Ito, President and CEO of ANA.

In related news, Boeing has reported the acquisition of Alenia North America's half of Global Aeronautica, LLC, a South Carolina fuselage subassembly facility for Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, and is now the sole owner of that entity.

It is thought that Boeing will integrate the Global Aeronautica facility with the rest of Boeing's organization in North Charleston, S.C.

"The Boeing Charleston site is critical to the success of the 787 program," said Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Through this acquisition, Boeing benefits by joining together two solid operations - including their talented employees and state-of-the-art facilities - into one Boeing team. Ultimately, we believe integration of the site will increase productivity for the 787 program and allow us to maintain our long-term competitiveness."

Global Aeronautica's integration entails the joining of the mid-fuselage sections, the installation and testing of associated elements, and the application of surface finishes to more than 60 percent of the 787's fuselage. Global Aeronautica sits adjacent to the Boeing Charleston site and shares a 240-acre (97-hectare) campus.

Publication Date: 23/12/2009

WWW Link: http://www.boeing.com

Indonesia Air Asia (QZ) flights

2009-12-07T23:29:00.001+08:00

Indonesia Air Asia flights - cities

Need cheap flights with Indonesia Air Asia? Use Skyscanner to browse Indonesia Air Asia flights and find the lowest prices and most convenient Indonesia Air Asia flight times for your travel needs. Follow the links and book your cheap flight directly with the airline or travel agent for the best price – Skyscanner doesn't add any commission.

Skyscanner allows you to find the cheapest flights with Indonesia Air Asia without having to enter specific dates or even destinations, making it the best place to find cheap flights for your trip.
To book a cheap flight with Indonesia Air Asia, choose from the list of flights with Indonesia Air Asia below, or use the links at the side of the page to browse for more flight information. To start a new flight search, use the search controls above.

Air Asia X cheap flights 2010

2009-11-24T02:28:00.002+08:00

Is it worth booking tickets for cheap flights on budget airlines to Australia? Australiaflightbargains.com investigates the London Stansted to Melbourne, Perth and Gold Coast route options with Air Asia X via Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

UK to Australia with budget airlines: Independent travel

Yesterday, Australiaflightbargains.com was featured as ‘Tip of the week’ in the Independent newspaper. The article highlighted the example I’ve used for flying from the UK to Australia with budget airlines.

Budget airline route to Australia

The route I picked out, of course, was absurdly complex. No-one in their right mind would contemplate taking it. There is, however, one way of getting from the UK to Australia using budget airlines that involves just one stop.

Air Asia X: London Stansted to Perth, Gold Coast and Brisbane

That method is with Air Asia X. The Malaysian low cost carrier flies from London Stansted to Kuala Lumpur, and then from Kuala Lumpur to Perth, the Gold Coast and Melbourne.

Cheapest air fares to Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne

But does it work out cheaper? Well let’s see. As a general rule, the rock bottom cheapest fares to Perth are around £550, whilst fares to Brisbane (which is a short distance away from the Gold Coast) and Melbourne tend to start at £600 if you get the right airline sale and time of year.

Cheapest Air Asia X fare: London Stansted to Kuala Lumpur in 2010

Checking with Air Asia, the cheapest return fare from London Stansted to Kuala Lumpur is around £368. This price is available for many dates in 2010, although there is particularly good availability in August, September and October 2010.

Air Asia X cheapest fares: Malaysia to Australia

For the connecting return flights, the prices were as follows:

Kuala Lumpur to Gold Coast – approximately £143.35 (total £511.35)

Kuala Lumpur to Perth – approximately £103.53 (total £471.53)

Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne – approximately £146.55 (£514.55)

London – Kuala Lumpur – Australia flight dates

As you can see, there are savings to be made – although they are not massive sums. There are some massive ‘buts’ about using the Air Asia X approach, however. Firstly, the dates of the cheapest prices for each leg are limited, and they rarely match up. You would almost certainly end up paying more than this.

Extra costs with budget airlines

Find best flight prices

London to Perth

London to Melbourne

London to Sydney

London to Brisbane

Manchester to Perth

Manchester to Melbourne

Manchester to Sydney

Manchester to Brisbane

Secondly, you would have to pay extra for food and entertainment on board – which could end up adding significantly to the total sum. There may also be a necessity of booking a hotel for at least one night in Kuala Lumpur. In this case, there are barely any savings to be made – in fact it will probably work out more expensive than a considerably more comfortable return flight on whichever full service airline is offering sale fares.

Reasons to fly Air Asia X to Australia via Kuala Lumpur

In mitigation, Air Asia X doesn’t currently have a sale on – these prices could be lower when they announce a special promotion. And I would argue that there are three instances where flying Air Asia X to Australia may be worth considering.

You want to stop over in Kuala Lumpur. To add this to a full service airline return ticket will cost extra in taxes.
London Stansted is your local airport – the cost in getting to Heathrow or Glasgow could add a substantial sum to the price.
You are planning to go on holiday to northern New South Wales. The Gold Coast airport is at Coolangatta, at the southern end of the Gold Coast. It’s very easy to get to the Gold Coast from Brisbane airport on a direct train. But to get to Byron Bay, to use a good example, flying to the Gold Coast will cut a good couple of hours and a fair few dollars off the drive/ transfer.

All eyes on AirAsia and MAS results as others turn in losses

2009-11-22T02:19:00.002+08:00

PETALING JAYA: Several regional airlines have incurred huge losses in the third quarter of this year although demand for passenger air travel is trickling in, and it will be interesting to see what financial numbers the local carriers will report this week and next.

For AirAsia Bhd, analysts are upbeat that its financial results for the third quarter (Q3) ended September 30, 2009 will be good but they cannot say the same for Malaysia Airlines (MAS), even though the latter is expected to show better financial numbers for its fourth quarter.

“AirAsia’s financial numbers for Q3 should be pretty strong,’’ said an analyst. The airlines’s passenger growth in Q3 was said to be stable, with load factor at about 75.4%.

AirAsia group chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes, in an SMS reply, said Q3 was always the weakest quarter “but we are happy with the results’’. The airline will release its results today.

For the first half-year ended June 30, AirAsia’s net profit was RM342mil on revenue of RM1.37bil. For Q2, it was RM139mil and RM657mil respectively. Analysts project RM513mil net profit and RM2.7bil sales for the full year.

As for MAS, an analyst is of the view that the airline may not be able to break even.

“But if it just managed to break even in Q3, it would be good for the airline,’’ he said, citing international traffic decline as a reason.

MAS reported a net profit of RM876mil, aided by RM1.34bil derivative gains on fuel hedging, for its second quarter ended June 30, 2009. Operationally, it reported a loss of RM420mil while revenue was at RM2.56bil.

MAS, in its profit projections to Bursa Malaysia, said in a worst-case scenario, it may report a loss of RM499mil to a net income of RM50mil. In the best-case scenario, the profit could be between RM501mil and RM1bil.

“It is a tough environment (in which airlines are operating),’’ said MAS managing director and CEO Tengku Datuk Azmil Zahruddin.

“Yields are under pressure and airlines are pressured to keep fares low,’’ he told StarBiz recently.

On his expectation for the Q3 results, he said: “It should be better than the second quarter.’’ MAS is slated to release its results in the middle of next week.

Last week, Asia’s largest airline, Singapore Airlines, announced its first quarterly loss since the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak in 2003 with a US$221.7mil operating loss and US$213.3mil net loss for the three months ended June 30, 2009.

This was due to the devastating combination of the global economic downturn, the outbreak of Influenza A(H1N1) and large fuel hedging losses.

Thai Airways International slipped to a net loss of US$121.5mil in Q3 2009, due predominantly to foreign exchange losses and falling passenger yields.

The International Air Transport Association reported a miniscule 0.3% rise in international traffic for September even though the month is normally a busy period for business travel. Premium traffic fell 13.9% in September compared with a year earlier.

Rising fuel prices and a weakened dollar will also remain a concern, going forward, for airlines.

AIRASIA : [Stock Watch] [News]
MAS : [Stock Watch] [News]

For latest Bursa Malaysia indices, charts and other information click here

Malaysia Airlines launches “Global Sales”

2009-11-16T20:34:00.000+08:00

Malaysia Airlines is offering travelers great deals to over 40 destinations including Europe, India, China, Africa, Australia and many more across 6 continents.

The promotion kicks off from 16 - 25 November 2009 (booking period) over the travel period of 15 December 2009 until 30 June 2010.

Malaysia Airlines’ Senior General Manager Sales & Marketing, Dato’ Bernard Francis said, “This year-end promotion is our way of saying a big thank you to our guests who have supported and contributed to Malaysia Airlines’ success. Without them, we would not have been conferred the recent ‘Asia’s Leading Airline’ accolade by World Travel Awards.”

The popular London route is on offer from as low as RM1248. For destinations in ASEAN countries, fares start from RM183 to Medan, RM223 to Yogyakarta, RM343 to Bali, RM293 to Surabaya, RM283 to Jakarta, RM338 to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, RM303 to Ho Chi Minh City, RM458 to Manila and RM408 to Yangon.

Orient destination fares begin from as low as RM418 to Hong Kong, RM558 to Shanghai and Guangzhou and RM 608 to Kunming.

Meanwhile for destinations in the Indian Sub-Continent, offers start from RM 498 to Colombo, RM658 for flights to Hyderabad, RM718 to New Delhi and RM698 to Mumbai.

He added “We will offer these great deals through all our distribution channels, namely our website www.malaysiaairlines.com, our ticketing offices in Malaysia and ASEAN countries, our 24-hour Call Centre at 1-300-88-3000 in Malaysia and our appointed travel agents in Malaysia and ASEAN”.

Malaysia Airlines travel arm MASholidays will also offering some attractive packages during Global Sales. Customers can enjoy the attractive packages at www.masholidayz.com

Malaysia Airlines’ Global Sales was first launched online on November 2008 for all its international destinations to enable Malaysians to keep traveling and experience its 5-Star services. It was then further extended this year to offer great deals to Asean countries.

All promotional airfares are for one-way economy class travel on Malaysia Airlines and includes airfare, airport tax, fuel surcharge, insurance and administrative fees. Promotional seats are not applicable during peak periods and subject to seat availability. Terms and conditions apply.

A complete list of destinations and fares is available on www.malaysiaairlines.com.

64 Hotels By 2013

2009-11-06T21:48:00.001+08:00

Some 200 hotels in over a dozen countries across Asia, the Pacific and Europe are offering clean, hip and secure accommodation for value-conscious travellers from around the world.

That, in a nutshell, is the dream being spun into reality by Mark Lankester, the chief executive officer of Tune Hotels.

Controlled by Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia and its boss Tony Fernandes, Tune already operates seven hotels - five in Malaysia and two in Bali.

'We would have had twice that number if not for the financial crisis and the credit crunch,' Mr Lankester told BT.

According to him, development plans are already underway to set up 64 Tune hotels in India, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Bangladesh. These hotels will be up and running by 2013, he added.

And it doesn't stop there.

'With AirAsia X now flying to London and Australia, we have plans to launch 10 hotels in greater London, and as many in Melbourne and other Australian cities,' Mr Lankester said.

Singapore, despite its high land costs, is also on Tune's radar screen. So is China.

The hotels, where prices per night start at the equivalent of S$5 for a standard 12 square-metre room, are targeted at not just budget backpackers, but also budget conscious corporate travellers who want good, clean, secure rooms, with hot 'power showers' and good quality bed and linen, Mr Lankester said.

'We are not talking about cheap, sleazy hotels,' he said. 'Our hotels are good class, hip, budget hotels, centrally located in every city, with airy rooms, full CCTV monitored security, and front glass doors which auto-lock by midnight with access only by smart keys. It will appeal to both budget leisure and budget conscious corporate travellers.'

Each hotel will have an average of 180 to 200 rooms, though some of its existing Malaysian hotels have almost 300 rooms. And the F&B outlets will be farmed out to suitable vendors, be they a global chain or localised versions of 'kopi tiams'.

Mr Lankester, a colleague of AirAsia boss Mr Fernandes at Warner Music before he was poached not long ago by his old buddy, says the rollout will be financed by a combination of borrowing and franchise arrangements.

'We will no doubt have to gear up,' he said. 'But we will also leverage on existing properties where we will be operating the hotels in franchisee partnerships with the property owners.'

Mr Lankester envisages the Tune hotel chain spreading to locations well beyond the 120 destinations which AirAsia flies to.

'We call them Tune Hotels, and not AirAsia Hotels, for good reason,' he said. 'It gives us an option of growing beyond AirAsia.'

Never mind that its owners are the same people who control Asia's largest budget airline.

And even as Tune picks up, Mr Lankester and his buddies at AirAsia are already rolling out new products such as TuneTalk (mobile telephony cards) and TuneMoney (pre-topped up debit cards).

'TuneMoney, which is a tie-up with Visa cards, enables travellers to top up their debit card with the currency of their destination, thus saving them the hassle of doing forex transactions when they get there,' Mr Lankester explained. 'And with TuneTalk, we essentially tie up with local telephony service providers in various countries to enable our customers to use their mobile phones at local rates.'

Mr Lankester envisions that just as AirAsia has established itself as the undisputed leader in low cost air travel, Tune will ultimately emerge as the undisputed leader in hospitality and travel facilitation.

And it appears to have made good headway so far.

Air Asia flight lands with extra passenger

2009-10-28T03:11:00.001+08:00

In normal circumstances, a plane that lands with one more passenger than what it had when it took-off will need enquiries by the police, special forces or possibly a member of The X-Files. However, there was no mystery to this extra little passenger as one of the passengers that boarded the flight from Penang to Kuching in Malaysia was pregnant. A short while after take-off, Liew Siaw Hsia was seen to be in discomfort; she had gone into labour. A doctor who was also on board the plane rushed to assist the woman with the help from cabin crew. The pilot upon hearing of the pending delivery took the action of diverting the plane to Kuala Lumpur.

By the time the plane was making an attempt at landing, it was too late and the baby boy was born at around 2,000 feet according to cabin crew. As soon as the plane had safely landed an ambulance was waiting to take mother and baby to the hospital. A few days later the mother an child were visited in hospital by the director of operations for Air Asia and some of the flight attendants that were on Mrs Hsia’s flight. The low-cost carrier have offered mother and child free flights on their planes for life as a gift.

Dr Ronald Tang, the man behind the birth, had heavy praise heaped on him by the airline with them saying that delivering a baby under those circumstances shows expert work. Dr Tang simply replied that he could not have done it without the cool assistance of the crew of Air Asia.

Hajj flights for Asia's Muslims starting this week

2009-10-20T00:46:00.001+08:00

Across Asia many airlines are beginning services this week to ferry passengers to Saudi Arabia in time for the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

Hajj is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world and is expected to fall between November 25-30 this year. Most large Asian air carriers will operate flights to Jeddah and Medina in two phases with little variance: the arrival stage, from October 20 through November 21, and the departure stage, from December 1 to January 1, 2010.

Beginning October 21, Pakistan International Airlines, the nation's flag carrier, will commence nearly 300 Hajj flights. The operations are expected to involve 126,000 passengers, according to the company.

On October 16, Air India, that nation's largest airline, announced the operation of nearly 300 extra flights to ferry passengers from 20 Indian cities to Jeddah and Medina.

National carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines expects nearly 40,000 passengers to take advantage of their dedicated Hajj flights, as they estimate they will fly about two-thirds of all Bangladeshi pilgrims.

In Indonesia, budget king Indonesia Air Asia does not offer any services to Saudi Arabia but Indonesia's busiest private airline, Garuda, announced this month that they have added aircraft to compete for Hajj flights. The company has 14 wide-bodied aircraft dedicated to Hajj this year, which they hope will help them increase on the 259,000 Hajj passengers they shuttled in 2008.

Malaysian Airlines has added special Hajj flights, in combination with Emirates Airlines, to fly their pilgrims, according to the company.

On October 21 and 29, Thailand's pilgrims can utilize special flights to Saudi Arabia via a tie-up between Thai Airways and Malaysian Airlines.

Malaysian Airlines now connects Colombo and Kuala Lumpur

2009-10-14T00:30:00.002+08:00

Malaysia Airlines the national carrier of Malaysia will increase its flight frequency between Colombo and Kuala Lumpur to five. The fifth frequency from Colombo will depart BIA at 1.45 am on Wednesdays from October 28.

The Malaysia Airlines now offers low fares, which will continue till 31 March 2010.

The area manager of the Airline for Sri Lanka and Maldives Manamohan Singh said that Kuala Lumpur is a favourite destination for tourists and business travellers due to the close business and family ties between the two countries. Our average load factor is 90% as we are a preferred airline, offering convenient schedules, seamless connectivity and services of a full service carrier, he said.

Singh said that the flight schedules of Malaysia Airlines have been designed for customer convenience. Arriving early in the morning gives them a head-start in their trip, be it business or leisure. In addition, they can easily connect to ASEAN countries, China and Australia via our vast network, he said.

The high commissioner of Malaysia to Sri Lanka Rosli Ismail said that there is an increase in visa applications to Malaysia and it is a sign of improved economic activities and shows that the purchasing power of Sri Lankans have improved. The number of Sri Lankan tourists to Malaysia has grown 35% over the last two years. In 2008 42,774 Sri Lankans visited Malaysia compared to 31,733 in 2007. The number of Malaysians visiting to Sri Lanka too has increased from 12,737 in 2007 to over 15,000 in 2008, he said. Malaysia Airlines started its operations to Colombo in 1994 as an off line station and Colombo became an on line station in 2002 after it commenced two times a week service between two countries.

The frequency increased to three in 2003 and to four in 2007. Malaysia Airlines is one of the six five star airlines in the world accredited by Skytrax.

Malaysia Airlines rolls out new budget fares

2009-10-09T21:32:00.000+08:00

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has come out with a new "Everyday Low Fare" promotion, covering more than 45 domestic and overseas destinations.

One-way fare from Kuala Lumpur to Hongkong costs RM368 (US$106), RM218 (US$63) to Bangkok and RM630 (US$181) to Taipei among others. A flight from the Malaysian capital to London is RM1,248 (US$361) and flights to other European destinations such as Amsterdam, Paris, Rome and Frankfurt is RM1,228 (US$355).

MAS' bargain fares are only available online and can be booked only until Friday, October 9. Tickets are valid for travel between November 2009 to September 2010.

For booking details, go to www.malaysiaairlines.com

MALAYSIA: MAS DENIES SWAPPING A380 ORDERS FOR SMALLER PLANES

2009-10-05T21:52:00.002+08:00

PETALING JAYA, -- Malaysian Airline System Bhd (MAS) has no plans to swap the Airbus A380 for smaller wide-body aircraft such as A330 or A350.

"We don't have any conversation with Airbus saying that we don't want the A380. There is no foundation to the report," chief executive officer/managing director, Tengku Azmil Zahruddin, told reporters after the signing of support agreement for CFM engines with CFM International here Today.

According to the recent Standard & Poor report, MAS has broached the idea of swapping the A380 for smaller wide-body aircraft to avoid up to US$300 million (US$1=RM3.49) in penalty if it were to cancel the order.

A local English daily, quoting a source familiar with the situation, said MAS recently sent its technical staff to Airbus' headquarters in Toulouse to evaluate the smaller wide-body aircraft.

MAS ordered six A380s in 2003 for delivery in 2011.

The A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine airliner that seats 525 people in a typical three-class configurations or up to 853 people in all-economy class configuration.

"We have visited Toulouse to prepare for the arrival of A380s. I think it is good for us to visit our supplier, not only Airbus but also Boeing because there are always things that we need to work together.

"It is not unusual at all. We are on scheduled to receive the A380s," he said.

MAS currently operates 14 A330-200/300s with an average age of 13 years.

Azmil said the airline industry was expected to see more signs of recovery towards the second half of this year.

"We have seen some signs of improvements in the cargo side but not the passenger growth," he said.

The national airline today sealed an agreement with CFM International, which will provide engine support for the carrier's Boeing 737-800 fleet.

Under the agreement, CFM will provide full support, including technical training, engineering and repair, as well as spare parts.

MAS will use the new aircraft primarily within the Asean, including domestic Malaysian operations, as well as to Australia, China and India.

In 2008, MAS placed 35 firm and 20 optional orders for the aircraft with delivery commencing in fourth quarter of 2010.

Malaysia-to-U.S. Non-Stop Flights Closer To Reality

2009-09-28T00:05:00.001+08:00

Jaunted has published an exclusive -- but curiously quoteless -- interview with Air Asia CEO Tony Fernandes, confirming the budget airline's plan to enter the U.S. market. Los Angeles and New York City are the target markets.

To show its commitment, Air Asia has painted an Airbus A340 in Oakland Raiders livery (pictured). The symbolism is important, because the A340 has the range to fly between Southeast Asia and the United States non-stop.

It's always better to have more options. Right now, the principal direct flight from LAX to Kuala Lumpur is a Malaysia Airlines flight (MH94/MH95) that stops in Taipei.

That being said, I'm ambivalent about budget travel across the Pacific. The flight between the West Coast and Southeast Asia is 14 to 17 hours. I'd rather pay more for some comfort, such as the Singapore Airlines flight or the late, lamented Thai Airways non-stop.

Malaysia Airlines launches new economy fares

2009-09-24T02:30:00.000+08:00

Malaysia Airlines has launched low economy fares to Kuala Lumpur and other Asian, Australia and New Zealand cities with prices starting from just £399.

Fly to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where East truly meets West. With eclectic modern architecture and impressive colonial style buildings, the city’s air is perfumed with the intoxicating aroma of sizzling satays and floral incense. A ‘must-see’ are the landmark Petronas Towers - a shining design classic and until recently the tallest buildings in the world. Return fares from London Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur start from just £399.

Malaysia Airlines is also releasing low fares from London to Denpasar-Bali from £489, Phuket from £499, Perth from £649, Sydney from £679 and Auckland from £669.

On board their Malaysia Airlines flight, passengers experience exceptional service in economy class. A range of films and light entertainment is available on individual six and a half inch TV screens, which also carry multiple video games. Voted the “World’s Best Cabin Staff’ by Skytrax UK, Malaysia Airlines crew are pleased to make passengers at home, whilst they sit back and enjoy their flight.

Bookings must be made between 19 September and 5 October 2009. Travel is for selected dates 10 October 2009 - 31 May 2010. Economy fares are inclusive of all fees and taxes valid at the time of production, subject to availability at time of booking. Terms and Conditions apply.

Business class flights with Malaysia Airlines are also on sale from London Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur from £2,355, Bali from £2,345, Auckland from £2,635, Perth from £2,655 and Sydney from £2,665. Business class fares are available for booking until 31 October 2009 and travel until 31 December 2009.

To book or find out more information, visit malaysiaairlines.com.

MALAYSIA AIRLINES EYES MORE MIDEAST TRAVELLERS WITH ATTRACTIVE FARE PROMOTIONS

2009-09-18T17:17:00.000+08:00

DUBAI, — Having come up with a slew of fare promotions to suit everyone’s budget, Malaysia Airlines is hopeful of grabbing a larger slice of the Middle East market.

Its Regional General Manager for Middle East and Africa, Merina Abu Tahir, said since the beginning of the year, the airline had implemented aggressive sales campaigns, with all-inclusive fares, to deal with the worst crisis facing the industry.

“The market is growing in the Middle East and in line with this, we’re offering various fare promotions to suit the size of everyone’s wallet and lifestyle.

“Our current ongoing promotions from Dubai is competitively priced and benchmarked against our competitors,” Merina said of the Malaysian national carrier’s marketing plans and promotional attractions for Middle East travellers this year.

Noting that Malaysia Airlines was offering very competitive fares to encourage the demand for travel, Dubai-based Merina said sales had been brisk.

“This demonstrates that the public will choose to travel with Malaysia Airlines as they know that they’ll get value for money as we offer up to 20 kilogrammes of free baggage allowance, free meals, assigned seating and many other benefits without charging them extra.

“In fact, our July seat factor was close to 70 per cent,” said Merina of the five-star airline’s performance.

According to her, the airline’s main traffic during summer was leisure while travellers to Australia and New Zealand visiting friends and relatives as well as business travellers were also its target traffic.

“We’re now focused on attracting the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and events) traffic and aggressively promoting our corporate sales programme to multinational companies,” she said.

king abdulaziz international airport participating in world route development forum

2009-09-16T22:32:00.000+08:00

King Abdulaziz International Airport - KAIA Jeddah - is participating in the 15th World Route Development Forum to be held in Beijing 13-15 September 2009.

World Routes 2009, the premier global meeting place for every airline and airport, comes at a time when the air travel industry is facing a severe downturn and a massive restructuring of the world’s air networks is underway. Due to this, route development activity is at an all time high and the Beijing Forum is where many of the negotiations will happen.

“KAIA is one of the few airports in the world enjoying a high growth rate in passenger traffic and we have an ongoing program to expand our capacity and capabilities, including new terminals, to allow for continuous increase in the number of pilgrims, domestic, tourist and business travelers,” said the Director Marketing & Business Development at KAIA, Engr. Juergen R. Spingler. “With this in mind, our presence at World Routes 2009 is a unique opportunity to protect and expand our network in line with plans for the future.”

The cost effectiveness of attending the Beijing Forum, as opposed to hosting head office meetings with airlines, is proved by the fact that at last year’s World Routes Conference, held in Kuala Lumpur, KAIA held key meetings with 14 airlines: AirAsiaX, Air Berlin, American Airlines, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Garuda Indonesia, Lion Air, Mahan Air, Malaysian Airlines, Pakistan International Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Swiss Air and United Airlines.

Adding significant value to KAIA’s presence, World Routes 2009 in Beijing features five co-located events: the ICAO/World Bank/Routes “Global Strategy Summit”; the 2nd World Tourism and Air Services Summit (TAS); ACED (Airports as Catalysts for Economic Development); the World Fleet and Network Planning Congress; and the Global Airlines Alliances Conference.

According to the recently published World Traffic Report 2008 the number of arriving and departing passengers at 1,357 airports, representing 98 percent of global airport traffic, amounted to a marginal growth rate of only 0.1 percent for the year compared to 2007, whereas in the first seven months of 2009 KAIA passenger traffic increased by almost ten percent compared to the same period last year.

Currently, KAIA is handling more than 18 million passengers a year and is expanding its capacity and capabilities, including new terminals, to allow for continuous growth in the number of pilgrims, domestic, tourist and business travelers.

KAIA is committed to driving corporatization of the airport and developing the business in cooperation with all stakeholders, focused on enhancing value and fostering sustainable grow in accordance with international standards and environmental requirements.

PAL boosts fleet with 2 leased Boeing jets

2009-09-14T18:40:00.000+08:00

Philippine Airlines Inc. (PAL), the country's largest airline by fleet and revenue, said Friday it expects to take delivery of two leased Boeing 777-300ERs from November.

Vice President for Financing Cesar Chong said the first aircraft is scheduled for delivery in November while the second one is due to arrive in January.

Delivery of the two leased aircraft had been delayed due to Boeing's labor problems, he said.

In a news briefing, Chong said the airline also working to acquire another four Boeing 777-300ERs for delivery between June 2012 and November 2013.

By that time, PAL is hoping airline safety standards in the Philippines would have improved, to enable the company to expand its service routes, Chong said.

A few years ago, the US Federal Aviation Authority downgraded the country's air travel safety to Category 2 from Category 1 after it failed to comply with the required aviation standards as prescribed by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Chong added that the US Export-Import Bank has committed to provide financing assistance for the acquisition.

One jet is estimated to cost around $250 million. (Dow Jones, EVA reports)

Malaysia Airlines increased its Flights To Seoul And Taipei

2009-09-12T07:01:00.000+08:00

Due to growing demand for flights to North Asia, Malaysia Airlines will increase its flights from Kuala Lumpur to Seoul, and to Taipei.

Effective Sept 17, Malaysia Airlines will have six weekly flights to Seoul except for Monday, the airline said in a statement today.

The additional flight departs Kuala Lumpur every Thursday at 11.30 pm and arrives in Seoul at 7.10 am.

The additional flight to Taipei leaves every Sunday at 9.20 am and arrives at 2.10 pm, starting from Oct 1. This means there will be 13 weekly flights to Taipei with six non-stop flights and seven via Kota Kinabalu.

Tickets are now available for purchase at www.malaysiaairlines.com.

Malaysia Airlines Senior General Manager, Network & Revenue Management, Dr Amin Khan said demand for air travel to North Asian destinations was picking up.

He also said both Seoul and Taipei have shown growth and the year end loads are up compared to 2008.

“We believe that this is the beginning of air travel recovery. We are starting to see more leisure travel.We expect business travel to pick up as well.

“We are constantly aligning demand with capacity. We are offering additional flights to Tawau and Sandakan, and will also be increasing flights to Bali,” he added.

WTO: Airbus subsidies illegal

2009-09-09T22:39:00.002+08:00

WASHINGTON – The Boeing Co. won a major victory Friday when the World Trade Organization ruled its longtime rival Airbus has received billions of dollars in illegal subsidies from four European governments.

The ruling came in a 1,000-page confidential preliminary report from the WTO in what’s considered the largest and most complicated trade dispute ever.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill, after being briefed by U.S. government officials familiar with the report, confirmed that the WTO found Airbus and the governments that provided the subsidies had violated international trade rules.

“This is a pretty strong decision,” said Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, adding that the WTO found the subsidies had caused “material harm to Boeing.”

While the ruling focused on subsidies for Airbus’ superjumbo A380, it also found that aid provided by the Europeans benefited every model the company produced, Dicks said.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said the WTO decision was long overdue and the subsidies had long given Airbus an unfair advantage. “I urge the European Union and Airbus to heed the WTO’s ruling and to immediately stop plans to provide any further illegal launch aid,” Murray said.

Though a final report still has to be issued and an appeal is expected, the United State eventually could impose retaliatory tariffs on European goods. While that’s considered unlikely, the ruling could crimp Airbus’ finances seriously.

“This ruling confirms what U.S. officials have been saying for years – Airbus is hooked on illegal fiscal steroids,” said Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Lake Stevens, whose congressional district includes a major Boeing plant.

Neither the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative nor the European Union had any public comment. Boeing and Airbus also did not issue statements. With the details of the ruling remaining secret, it was hard to assess what the implications might be.

Airbus is currently seeking more than $4 billion in so-called launch aid from the European governments for its A350 aircraft. The A350 is designed to compete with Boeing’s 777 and 787 Dreamliner.

The A350 is not covered by the WTO ruling because it was not even on the drawing board when the U.S. filed its complaint. But in the wake of Friday’s ruling, Dicks and others said Airbus should forget about subsidies for the plane.

“The remedies are they have to withdraw the subsidies and eliminate the adverse effects on Boeing,” Dicks said in an interview.

Airbus could potentially have to refinance the roughly $4 billion in outstanding launch aid it received from the European governments for the A380. That might require commercial loans with higher interest rates than they are now paying on their government loans.

The ruling also could become an issue on Capitol Hill and in the Pentagon as the Air Force seeks bids in the coming months for a new aerial refueling tanker. The contract might eventually be worth $100 billion. Boeing and Airbus’ parent company, the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co., are engaged in a heated competition.

The European tanker would use an Airbus A330 airframe. Awarding a contract for a plane that received illegal subsidies would undoubtedly ignite an outcry in Congress.

Friday’s ruling came five years after the U.S. filed its complaint with the WTO. Within weeks after the U.S. complaint, the European Union filed its own complaint alleging Boeing received a total of $23 billion worth of illegal subsidies that would now be worth $305 billion. The Europeans alleged the illegal subsidies included tax breaks from Washington state, infrastructure improvements to its plant in Everett and major research and development support from the Defense Department, NASA and other government agencies.

The WTO is expected to announce its preliminary decision in the EU complaint in the next six months.

Commercial jets market yet to recover — Airbus

2009-09-05T05:09:00.001+08:00

PARIS — The market for commercial jets has yet to recover and airlines may be less inclined to take on new aircraft in the next two years as they grapple with the decline in global traffic, the head of Airbus SAS’s parent said.

“The market isn’t dead, we have some campaigns, but it’s not extremely active, that’s clear,” European Aeronautic, Defence and Space CE Louis Gallois said yesterday. “It’s not like two or three years ago.”

Airlines might struggle to keep taking aircraft next year and in 2011 because of balance sheets weakened by falling traffic, Gallois said. Airbus has so far secured only half of the 300 planned orders it earmarked for this year, indicating the worst for the industry may not yet be over.

The dearth of orders this year is one indicator that a recovery was not yet under way, even amid some signs the global economy was emerging from recession, Gallois said. The company’s planned contracts this year compare with 777 last year and 1458 a year earlier. This year, Airbus intends to deliver more than the 483 aircraft it handed over last year — its record year.

Planning beyond the first few months of next year remained difficult, Gallois said.

“In the beginning of a crisis, airlines try to preserve orders and time schedules for deliveries because they don’t want to change their planning — they want to keep an edge against competition,” Gallois said.

“At the end of the crisis, sometimes, they have to take difficult decisions, they are increasingly short of money.”

Among airlines that have cut capacity is British Airways, Europe’s third-largest carrier.

The company said on July 3 that it would delay A380 double- decker aircraft from Airbus and park Boeing 757s next year to conserve cash.

Boeing has said it expects to deliver 480 to 485 jets this year, about the same as Airbus, before cutting production beginning June next year to match lower demand as the recession forces airlines to trim spending.

Boeing has not issued a specific target for orders this year or deliveries next year.

Cutbacks next year will involve dropping output of the Boeing 777 29% to five aircraft a month, and postponing planned increases in the 747 and 767 programmes. The maker has not cut its monthly output of single- aisle aircraft.

Boeing also said on August 12 that customers’ financing options might expand next year, after a “manageable” 2009. Boeing had its debt rating cut by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service in July, in part because of concern that customer financing needs may increase next year.

China would be the most important market for the future, accounting for 20%-25% of the world market within five years, Gallois said. Demand for commercial aircraft in recent years had come most from the Gulf region and Asia.

Boeing may expand South Carolina plant to add second production line for 787 jetliner

2009-09-01T22:55:00.000+08:00

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Boeing Co. is seeking permits to expand its South Carolina plant, one of several being considered for an assembly line for its new 787 wide-body jetliners, a company spokesman said Wednesday.

Boeing spokesman Russ Young said the company is notifying state and local officials about applying for permits at the North Charleston plant, but noted there will be no decision on where to locate a second line until year’s end.

The Chicago-based company has been evaluating potential sites for a second assembly line for the 787, a next-generation aircraft built for fuel efficiency with lightweight carbon composite parts and its best-selling new model to date.

But production of the 787 has been hampered by problems stemming partly from Boeing’s reliance on global suppliers to build large sections of the aircraft. Those sections are later assembled at its commercial aircraft facilities in Everett, Wash.

The production glitches and an eight-week strike by union workers last fall have led to repeated delays of the 787’s first test flight and deliveries.

The troubles with the 787 program have cost Boeing credibility and billions of dollars in anticipated expenses and penalties. First deliveries are now about two years behind schedule.

Still, the 787 remains a priority for Boeing, which has struggled with sharply lower orders as the global economic slowdown has eroded demand for air travel and cargo services.

The North Charleston plant, which Boeing bought last month from Vought for $580 million plus about $420 million in debt forgiveness, makes fuselage sections for the 787. Analysts saw the acquisition of the plant, which was built in 2005, as an effort by Boeing to exert greater control over the production process and resolve supplier problems.

Because of the lead time required to get building permits, the company may also seek them for other locations, Young said. Boeing has declined to specify other sites being considered.

Young said people should not read too much into the decision to seek the South Carolina permits.

“Understand this is a procedural step. It certainly recognizes Charleston is a candidate as is Everett, Wash., and other locations,” he said.

The company plans to have the new assembly line operating by 2012, Young said.

Young said the announcement makes it easier for Boeing officials to work on getting the permits without having to be secretive about the process as might be the case with other industrial developments.

“There’s a lot of work to be done and it’s best done with a clear understanding of what we are doing and why,” he said.

“In this case there is an existing site, but how much work is required to make it potentially make it suitable for a facility like this and how much time that will take is part of the work to be done,” he said.

U.S. Rep. Henry Brown, R-S.C., called the development good news for the Charleston area.

“The potential for increasing Boeing’s presence in our state is a massive vote of confidence in the quality of the South Carolina workforce,” he said.

Washington U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, both Democrats, said the state has been home to Boeing since 1916.

“Our commitment to keeping Boeing in Washington has never wavered and never will,” a joint statement said, adding “the second line belongs in Washington state.”

U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash., said the news “makes clear the need for increased urgency and determination in our fight to keep Boeing here in Washington State.”

Shares of Boeing dipped 43 cents to close at $47.82 Wednesday.

AIRFRANCE 777-300ER to Mexico City in W09/10

2009-08-28T06:27:00.003+08:00

As p er GDS timetable display on 26AUG09, AIRFRANCE once again is operating Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on some of its Paris CDG - Mexico City route.

AF438/439 operates with 777-300ER on Day 16, 772 on Day x16. AF434/435 operates 3 weekly (Day 357) with 777-200ER

Air Asia X offers Dh99 ticket to Malaysia

2009-08-26T14:23:00.000+08:00

Southeast Asia's largest budget carrier is offering a limited number of tickets for travel between November 23 and July next year. Zainal Abd Halim / Reuters

Air Asia, one of the world’s fastest-growing low-cost airlines, gave Abu Dhabi’s tourism drive a boost on Wednesday by announcing the start of flights from its hub in Kuala Lumpur to the capital in November, cementing its status as an emerging aviation hub.

Air Asia officials said they would also seek funding from UAE investors to finance new aircraft, as it builds a strategic relationship with the emirate, including eventually using it as a stopover base for flights to Europe and Africa.

“We see an untapped market which has strong economic potential,” said Azran Osman Rani, the chief executive of Air Asia X, the long-haul affiliate of Air Asia, during a press conference on Wednesday announcing the new service. “This is part of our overall strategy in expanding into the Middle East.”

The new service will offer UAE residents a wealth of new opportunities to travel to Asia, with Air Asia and its Air Asia X affiliate flying to more than 130 destinations in China, South East Asia and Australia from its Malaysian hub. Through its no-frills business model, Air Asia said it typically offered fares up to 60 per cent lower than its competition.

Air Asia X is scheduled on Wednesday night to begin selling a limited number of promotional fares for the route on its website for Dh99 (US$26.95) one-way including taxes, and return flights for 99 Malaysian ringgit (Dh102.56).

“This is great news for the Abu Dhabi market,” said Jimmy el Murr, the general manager of Salem Travel, one of the largest travel agencies in the capital. “Even for people who normally travel once a year, their low fares mean people will be able to travel more often.”

Air Asia X will serve the route with five flights a week initially, but may expand as it begins using Abu Dhabi as a refuelling base and stopover hub.

From Abu Dhabi, it plans to serve destinations not covered extensively by existing Gulf airlines, such as Spain and Scandinavia, steering clear of Middle East cities already well-served by existing carriers, Mr Rani said.

After receiving start-up financing two years ago from Virgin Group of Britain, Manara Consortium of Bahrain and Orix Corporation of Japan, Air Asia X plans to court Abu Dhabi investors when it embarks on another fund-raising drive next year.

“We need a stronger equity base after 2010,” Mr Rani said, adding that sovereign wealth funds had expressed interest in previous private placements, but did not end up participating.

Air Asia X is the largest airline to start services to Abu Dhabi in the past few years, representing a coup for Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), which beat out rival bids from Dubai and Bahrain to host the budget airline, voted the world’s best by Skytrax, the UK-based consultancy.

ADAC has lobbied extensively to bring new carriers to the capital and fulfil its mandate under the Plan Abu Dhabi 2030, which calls for a rapid increase in tourist numbers.

The airline had originally planned to launch flights to India this year, leaving Abu Dhabi until next year. But those plans were reversed after learning of the massive investment Abu Dhabi was putting into its tourism drive, Mr Rani said. “We decided to be here in the early stages as Abu Dhabi gains global prominence.”

With the addition of Air Asia X, Abu Dhabi airport is becoming a budding hub for budget travel, complementing services into Saudi Arabia via Nas Air and Sama. Air Asia X officials said they expected to carry as many as 100,000 pilgrims transferring to these Saudi budget airlines in Abu Dhabi, as well as on a proposed direct flight on Air Asia X from Kuala Lumpur to Jeddah.

The focus on budget travel in Abu Dhabi puts a new face on the emirate’s tourism strategy. The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority had positioned the capital as a developing hub for upmarket travellers with plans including a Louvre museum and hosting the Formula One Grand Prix. However, the downturn had encouraged Abu Dhabi to broaden its target audience, said Mr Rani.