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AirAsia boosts services to China and India following visa rules changes
November 28th 2023
AirAsia has added extra flights from Malaysia to China and India following a relaxation of visa requirements by the governments of China and Malaysia. Read More » By the first quarter of calendar 2024, short-haul AirAsia Malaysia and medium haul AirAsia X Malaysia are expected to operate a combined 230 flights a week on China-Malaysia and India-Malaysia routes, representing about 5.2 million seats annually. “We see this as an opportunity not only to enhance regional connectivity in two of our largest markets, but also to act as a catalyst for significant economic growth," AirAsia Aviation Group CEO, Bo Lingam, said. "With an estimated 4.6 million guests expected to travel on our extensive network of 26 routes in China and India in 2024 alone, we are ready to play a pivotal role in achieving Malaysia's ambitious tourism targets of 25 million international tourists annually." The two airlines had a combined 17 routes between Malaysia and Mainland China alongside nine routes between Malaysia and India. Under the recently announced visa changes, travellers from China and India can travel to Malaysia without a visa for visit of less than 30 days from December 1. Also, Malaysians can travel to Mainland China without a visa for tourism, family visits and transit purposes for up to 15 days between December 1 2023 and November 30 2024. "As a vital player in the aviation sector, we stand ready to add capacity to support the demand for affordable and accessible air travel in the region," Tony Fernandes, the CEO of AirAsia parent company Capita A, said.
