London, here we fly

08 March 2009

It will be history in the making on Wednesday when AirAsia stamps its mark as the world’s first low-cost carrier connecting Asia and Europe.

BARELY 72 hours to AirAsia X’s inaugural flight from Kuala Lumpur to London Stansted, Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes is keeping his fingers crossed that his dream will finally come to fruition.

After all, it had taken a lot of hard work for the no-frills airline boss and his team to dispel scepticism about the phenomenal hype surrounding their promise of low-cost, long-haul travel.

With over 50,000 seats snapped up – including 5,000 at only £99 (RM520) – for this route, the journey ahead for long-haul budget travel seems unstoppable.

What’s more, it will be history in the making as AirAsia stamps its mark as the world’s first low-cost carrier connecting Asia and Europe.

Yet, it is a nightmarish wait for Fernandes, as the clock ticks towards the arrival of Flight D7 2006 carrying 280 passengers from Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday.

As any airline chief executive will readily confess, the first flight is often fraught with uncertainty. Anything can happen, such as the engine doesn’t start or other minor hiccups.

“Of course, that’s always at the back of my mind. A lot of things can go wrong,” said the 45-year-old group CEO of AirAsia Bhd.

Fernandes, however, said he was in no state of anxiety as far as the economics were concerned because the people wanted such flights.

“For me, it’ll be a momentous occasion, a very special day. But it hasn’t really sunk in yet,” he said, adding that he would be among the Malaysian and British VIPs who will welcome the passengers at a special reception that day.

For Fernandes, flying to London will never be the same again. At least, he doesn’t need to take Qantas or Cathay Pacific – which gave him a good deal – any more.

Kangaroo Route

Excitement surrounds the maiden flight, which is scheduled to carry an eclectic mix of passengers. They range from VIPs, celebrities and the media to backpackers, students, avid shoppers and first-time fliers.

Of particular interest will be five Austra­lians who will be flying from Melbourne/Gold Coast to Kuala Lumpur and then to London, touted as the longest, low-cost, long-haul flight. The fact that those from Down Under had chosen to fly to London via KL showed the airline’s success in making transcontinental travel a whole lot easier and more affordable.

“The Australia-to-Europe via KL connectivity (and vice-versa) will provide untold benefits to both travellers and stopover cities,” said the airline’s regional head of commercial Kathleen Tan.

Apart from opening up new vistas for travellers, the so-called Kangaroo Route is seen as reinforcing the airline’s goal of transforming Kuala Lumpur into a key hub in South-East Asia.

With the KL-London sector, AirAsia and AirAsia X can now feed guests from their other routes into the Malaysian capital for onward connections to Europe.

As Tan put it: “Imagine someone from Ban­dung or Hangzhou can now fly to London sim­ply because we offer the connectivity and low, low fares that make long-haul travel affordable.”

She said AirAsia X would continue to offer more connections between Europe and the Asia Pacific while AirAsia as a group linked communities through their sky bridges.

Tan said she was proud that an Asean low-cost long-haul airline could compete successfully with global players, which had been in the business for so much longer.

“I feel this would be one of those moments that would unite South-East Asians and spur us to think more about how we can better promote our region,” she added.

Indeed, the KL-London story unfolded when AirAsia X took to the skies in January 2007. This was followed by sheer hard work in securing the right to fly the route as soon as possible.

The rest, as they say, is history. Within a week of the sale last November, some 5,000 seats offered at £99 were snapped up, a testament to the popularity of rock-bottom fares.

Cloud Nine

Despite the typical no-frills extras – between £4 (RM21) and £22 (RM115) for checked-in baggage and £5 (RM26) for a comfort kit comprising a blanket, pillow and sleeping mask – the much-trumpeted fares are still way below those of other airlines.

For £7 (RM37) a meal, passengers can also order a variety of in-flight food. They range from Malaysian and international to vegetarian and kid’s meals that come with bottled water and chocolates.

Tan insisted that the no-outside-food policy prevalent among low-cost airlines was more in ensuring food safety and passenger comfort than compelling the people to buy in-flight meals. In any case, the airline’s passengers need not worry about having to pay for using its toilets. (It has been reported that Irish budget airline Ryanair had proposed a £1 or RM5.25 toilet fee for passengers.)

“That’s pushing the definition of ancillary income too far,” she said.

Come Wednesday evening, Fernandes and his team will probably be on Cloud Nine as they celebrate the first ever, low-fare, long haul flight from Kuala Lumpur to London.

Quite aptly, they’ve chosen to party at Altitude 360 – London’s ultimate event venue in the sky. Perched on the 29th floor of Mill­bank Tower, it commands a stunning view of the city’s landmarks.

Well, the die is cast. And the time has come for this new kid on the block to prove to the world that low-cost, long-haul travel can work.