AirAsia X's new 'green' fleet

AZRAN Osman Rani doesn't want his customers to compare AirAsia X aircraft with cars.

But the 36-year-old chief executive officer of AirAsia's low-cost long-haul affiliate couldn't help pointing out that their first Airbus A330-300, which was handed over yesterday, burns only 2.3 litres of fuel per seat per 100 kilometres -- about half of the 4.2 litres which a Toyota Prius hybrid uses, and the lowest in its class.

"What's right for our business is right for the environment," he stressed. He sees resource use as the key environmental issue. For AirAsia X, that means fuel.

"Cutting fuel is ingrained in our culture," said Azran, with staff contributing ideas. "We have looked at every kilogramme of the plane."

After noticing that most passengers don't use footrests, for example, the airline asked Airbus to leave them out of the custom-designed new wide-body long-range aircraft. A paperless cockpit also reduces weight, as do lighter trolleys.
The Airbus 330-300 wing is "aerodynamically optimised" to make it fuel-efficient on medium and long-range routes, while the lighter yet stronger metal alloys and composites reduce the airframe weight as well as the level of engine emissions.

The engines are washed every couple of months, reducing drag -- and cutting fuel consumption by 1.5 per cent.

And with passengers booking their meals online, in advance, AirAsia X avoids carrying too much food and drinks. Raising the level of efficiency allows the airline to operate with nine crew per flight, as compared with 14 on other airlines. Again, that reduces weight.

"We are not paying lip service like the carbon offset programme, which does not change what the airline does but asks customers if they want to pay for the 'cost' of carbon emission," Azran said.

"They are saying that if passengers are concerned, they can pay and the airline will use that for planting trees. However, the net carbon emission is the same."

The new European Union emissions trading scheme will include all flights into the region from 2012. Azran had noted recently that since AirAsia X does not have a baseline (an average from 2004 through 2006), it would be accorded a special reserve of free allowances of up to a limit of one million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

If it exceeds that carbon footprint, it will then have to purchase carbon credits to offset the increase. "We'll have the lowest carbon footprint," argued the CEO, "which is better for your conscience than flying a bigger plane and paying carbon offset."

Meanwhile, Bernama reports that AirAsia Berhad group chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes sees a silver lining in the current global financial crisis for the low-cost airliner which has survived past turbulence.

"We have gone through SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), terrorism, the bird flu, Bali bombing. The worst was SARS but we found a way to get out of it," he said.

"During the health scare in 2003, there was no demand in passenger traffic. But we were able to create demand. With our business model, which has been successful to date, we managed to sell 5,000 seats during the SARS outbreak.

Despite the current financial crisis, Fernandes said AirAsia was not cutting down on expenditure nor was it slowing down on growth.

"We are in fact talking about accelerating our orders for the remaining 24. We are looking at a few more. Now is the right opportunity to grow while everyone else is cutting back and Airbus has the capacity."

AirAsia CEO Sees Silver Lining In Financial Crisis

TOULOUSE, (France) Oct 31 -- AirAsia Berhad group chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes sees a silver lining in the current global financial crisis for the low-cost airliner which has survived past turbulence.

"We have gone through SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), terrorism, the bird flu, Bali bombing. The worse was SARS but we found a way to get out of it," he said.

"During the health scare in 2003, there was no demand in passenger traffic. But we were able to create demand. With our business model, which has been successful to date, we managed to sell 5,000 seats during the SARS outbreak," said Fernandes at a press conference here Thursday.

He was here to witness the handing over of the first delivery of the first brand new A330 aircraft to AirAsia X, its low-cost long haul affiliate on Friday.

Transport Minister Datuk Ong Tee Kiat will be guest-of-honour at the ceremony.

The handover marks the first deliver of an order AirAsia X placed for 25 Airbus A330 aircraft earlier this year, and comes just weeks after AirAsia switched its entire Malaysian operations to an all Airbus A320 fleet.

Despite the current financial crisis, Fernandes said AirAsia was not cutting down on expenditure nor was it slowing down on growth.

"We are in fact talking about accelerating our orders for the remaining 24. We are looking at a few more," he said.

"Now is the right opportunity to grow while everyone else is cutting back and Airbus has the capacity. We can get sooner," he told the Malaysian media.

Also present were AirAsia X chairman Datuk Seri Kalimullah Hassan and chief executive officer Azran Osman Rani.

Earlier at a media briefing, Airbus regional communications Asia manager Sean Lee said the second A330 aircraft was scheduled to be delivered to AirAsia X by the end of this year with the entire fleet of 25 airplanes to be delivered by 2013.

Lee said since 2005, AirAsia has ordered 225 aircraft worth US$6.3 billion (list price) from Airbus, with each A320 and A330 costing US$77 million and US$200 million respectively.

AirAsia X named 'best new airline'

SINGAPORE: After only one year of operation, the pioneer of low-cost long-haul travel AirAsia X has been lauded with one of the aviation industry’s most prestigious awards.

AirAsia X CFO Andrew Littledale last night accepted the 2008 Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) Best New Airline of the Year Award at the CAPA Aviation Awards for Excellence held at Singapore’s Raffles City Convention Centre. The ceremony was held in conjunction with the Aviation Outlook Asia Summit.

Commencing operations last November, AirAsia X’s rise follows the success of its parent company AirAsia which won the Best Airline award in 2007.

The CAPA award recognises AirAsia X’s significant contribution to the aviation industry in the region by way of its competitive airfares, growing network and market leading product and services.

"The success of AirAsia X rides on the back of affiliate AirAsia’s leading regional network in Southeast Asia and China, where passengers have access to more than 105 routes and the highest daily flight frequencies to most Asian cities," AirAsia X said.

Its rapidly expanding international route network now includes five destinations including Kuala Lumpur, Hangzhou (Shanghai) China, the Gold Coast, Perth and Melbourne. Flights between Kuala Lumpur and Perth commence November 2 and Melbourne on November 12.

AirAsia X CEO Azran Osman-Rani said he was thrilled to see AirAsia X honoured with the award particularly since the airline had only been operating for 12 months.

“This is a significant and welcome achievement for AirAsia X,” he said. “To be named Best New Airline demonstrates AirAsia X is setting the benchmark for premier standards and service.

“The aviation sector is highly competitive and to be at the forefront of the industry in this increasingly challenging economic environment takes business acumen, foresight and innovative business strategies.”

Osman-Rani hailed AirAsia X’s inaugural year of operation an excellent start to the airline’s forward plans and said last night’s award would strengthen AirAsia X’s brand in the market.

“We are thrilled with the progress of AirAsia X in Australia and Malaysia,” he said. “We announced our 100,000th passenger onboard in March 2008 and since then the airline has experienced a surge in bookings, taking the number of people travelling with us to more than 200,000, which is a major accomplishment.”

The airline showed it is at the forefront of the aviation industry by being the first airline in the Asia-Pacific region to sign up with ecommerce company PayPal for purchases of airfares and gift vouchers.

In late 2007 AirAsia X ordered an additional 25 A330 aircraft from Airbus to meet further growth. The first of these has now been delivered.

AirAsia X offers four direct flights between its hub Kuala Lumpur and the Gold Coast and five flights per week to Hangzhou. The airline will initially be servicing Perth with six return flights per week and Melbourne with four direct flights.

AirAsia X is 48% controlled by Aero Ventures, which is a company owned by Tony Fernandes and his associates. The Virgin Group owns a 16% share of the airline alongside Japanese leasing firm Orix Corporation and Bahrain-based Manara Consortium, which have each bought a 10% stake in AirAsia X. Parent company AirAsia also has a 16% stake in the company.

AirAsia X Takes Delivery Of New Airbus A330

AirAsia X, the low-cost, long-haul affiliate of AirAsia, Friday took delivery of its brand new Airbus A330 aircraft, which is expected to significantly reduce the airline's fuel consumption and operating costs.

Transport Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat, who officiated at the handing-over ceremony Friday, was confident AirAsia X will be a global leader in pioneering an innovative and revolutionary low-cost long-haul business model.

He also hoped AirAsia X's point-to-point business model, offering a wider choice of destination and fares, will support the government's vision to make the KL International Airport (KLIA) the leading low-cost hub in the region.

"I am happy to note that some 50 percent of AirAsia's passenger traffic has been foreign nationals which is in line with the government's vision of driving tourism in Malaysia.

"Low-cost travel has also been proven to grow the overall market and hence the multiplier benefits on the economy as a whole," he said.

AirAsia X chief executive officer Azran Osman-Rani, in his speech, noted that on the average, only about 20 percent of AirAsia X's in-bound guests to Malaysia stayed in Kuala Lumpur while the rest will go to other AirAsia's destinations, both in Kuala Lumpur and the region.



AirAsia operates over 100 routes, covering more than 60 destinations in Southeast Asia and China. It will start flying to Tiruchirapalli, south India, from Dec 1 this year.

"The brand new A330 will enable us to dramatically reduce operating costs, enabling savings made on fuel consumption to be passed on to our guests through low fares," he said.

The Airbus A330, powered by Rolls Royce trent 700 engines, boasts enhanced flexibility and comfort for passengers. The cabin has 383 seats, with optional premium Xl seats for extra leg room, as well as the latest in-flight entertainment systems.

The A330-300 can accommodate seat and class configurations to suit diverse customer requirements. It has a range of up to 5,650nm/10,500km with a full passenger load.

Also present were AirAsia Group CEO Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes, AirAsia X chairman Datuk Seri Kalimullah Hassan and Airbus president/CEO Tom Enders and President of Civil Aerospace of Rolls Royce, Mark King.

Air Asia X set for new OZ flights.

Long haul Low Cost Carrier, Air Asia X, is set to commence it’s new services to Perth and Melbourne from their main hub in Kuala Lumpur. Perth flights begin next week and will have a daily service and the Melbourne service commences some ten days later and will be served four days each week. Air Asia X already flies to the Gold Coast and the addition of Melbourne and Perth now gives the good citizens of Victoria and WA new opportunities fro low cost travel to Malaysia and beyond.

All Air Asia X flights are operated by modern Airbus A330’s and offers passengers the choice economy class or upgrading to the fully reclining XL seating, which offer the equivalent levels of comfort and leg room that is offered by other airlines Business class. However XL seating comes without all the extras.

As with all LCC’s extras are not included and can be purchased on board. Full in flight meals and seat assignment can also be ordered in advance.

AirAsia looking at reducing fuel surcharge

AirAsia Bhd is looking at reducing fuel surcharge following the decline in global crude oil prices.

In a note to its registered website users yesterday, AirAsia chief executive Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes said: "I have been working very hard with the team at AirAsia to look at reducing our fuel surcharge, and you should look forward to the good news in the next couple of months." He did not elaborate.

Meanwhile, Fernandes said in the same note that there had been a sudden unanticipated surge in call volume to its call centre. "I notice that lately we have received numerous complaints on our call centre response time," he said.

Fernandes said this was due to the huge success of AirAsia X, especially with the Perth and Melbourne route announcements. "These new, exciting long-haul routes have resulted in longer talk-time between callers and our agents, and subsequently caused our lines to be congested."

He assured guests that the call centre team was working with its IT department to upgrade the facility and that by Nov 6, the centre would have enough agents and sufficient IT infrastructure to deal with the influx.

"By this, we aim to improve our call centre performance to 90%, ie a drop-call rate of 10% only. By January, we'll be moving to a high-tech call centre to cater to more calls," Fernandes.

AirAsia Latest Route Map

The Airasia Route Map has changed in the website. This is probably due to the latest coming New route of the India city, Tiruchirapalli. This route is Airasia first time fly to India. Hope there are more coming!