News
AirAsia X sets its sights on Mainland China
October 12th 2018
AirAsia X, the long-haul subsidiary of Malaysia’s AirAsia Group, has received Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) approval for three routes to Mainland China in 2019. Read More »
AirAsia X can now start a four times a week route that will link its Kuala Lumpur hub with Guiyang from January, followed by four a week Kuala Lumpur-Dalian and four-a week Kuala Lumpur-Lanzhou in March. It remains to be seen whether AirAsia X will roster its wide body A330-300 aircraft or schedule its single aisle A320s or incoming A321neo on the new routes.
Separately, AirAsia X this week announced a four times a week Kuala Lumpur-Changsha A330-300 flight from October 29, which will replace am AirAsia A320 service.
There is a debate to be had about the viability of these comparatively ‘long-and-thin’ China routes, which usually heavily depend on Mainland tour group bookings. In many cases, the market is not mature enough to sustain year-round operations.
In the same MAVCOM announcement this week, the regulator said Malindo Air – a fierce AirAsia competitor – had returned its traffic rights on Kota Kinabalu-Guiyang and Kota Kinabalu-Jinan. AirAsia X surrendered its Kuala Lumpur-Narita route authority to MAVCOM.
Malaysian flag carrier, Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB), also has set its sights on Mainland China. MAB CEO, Izham Ismail, told Orient Aviation in September: “Our strategy is to remain relevant in those markets swarmed by AirAsia, but at the same time to take our business to other markets in ASEAN of four to nine hour flights where there is less competition.”
MAB has ten B737 MAX 10s on firm order. These jets will feature a lie-flat business class product specifically tailored toward “long-and thin China routes”.
