The focus this week is on AirAsia’s journey to becoming an Asean airline, and launch of feijipiao.co.nz to cater to Chinese travellers in Australiasia
AIRLINES: AIRASIA ON TRACK TO BECOMING A TRULY ASEAN AIRLINE
AirAsia aims to be the airline for all the Asean countries. (Image credit: Guggad/ iStock)
AirAsia’s rapid expansion in the region is paving the way for it to become a truly Asean airline, its group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said.
“The Asean story is very good. Our Asean story continues with the announcement of the impending joint venture in Vietnam, and I recently returned from Cambodia and the Cambodian government was excited to offer us 100% licence.
“So the Asean story goes from strength to strength,” Fernandes stated in a video message earlier this week on the overview of the airline’s performance last year and outlook moving forward. (Watch the full report in the video below)
He described as “exciting” that his “vision and passion”, along with his board and partner Datuk Kamarudin Meranun, of building an Asean airline is taking shape.
“I believe in the not too distant future, who knows, we might have one company owing 100% of all those airlines. That’s my dream and what I am working towards.
“It looks tough, but hey when we started 16 years ago with only two planes who would have thought that three weeks ago we would be sitting in Beijing and announcing an MoU in China (with China Everbright to launch low cost carrier in China). So dreams do come true.”
He added that 2016 was a “fantastic year” for the airline.
“The pleasing thing for me (in 2016) has been the turnaround for Philippines and Indonesia as we march towards an Asean and Asian company”.
The company’s investment in India is also beginning to pay off, although Fernandes admitted it has been tough getting into such a big market.
“Japan is about to launch (second half of the year) and hopefully we can turn both around as we have done with Indonesia and the Philippines.”
Also appearing in the same video is AirAsia chief executive officer and executive director Aireen Omar, who elaborated on the airline’s expansion plans.
“To facilitate AirAsia’s growth, we have established a fleet delivery plan that runs up to 2028. This year the group fleet size is expected to increase by 29 aircraft, which will bring it to 203 A320s by year-end.”
The airline will also focus on increasing ancillary income from seat selections, inflight WiFi service (Rokki), food and beverage, baggage fees, fly-thru flight transfer and duty free products.
Aireen revealed that last year ancillary income grew more than 10% to RM48 (US$11.20) per passenger.
The airline’s current focus is digitalisation, leveraging on the vast data from its 369 million guest carried over the last 15 years to better connect with them and better enhance their experience.
“Digitalistion will also help us to reduce cost further by automating more operations and integration all our operational data while we optimise efficiencies along our entire value chain from procurement to aircraft engineering and maintenance, cabin crew rostering and inflght service,” said Aireen.
AirAsia has set up a full fledge data and digital team to manage its digital journey.
TOUR OPERATORS: NEW OTA FEIJIPIAO.CO.NZ TO SERVICE CHINESE TRAVELLERS IN AUSTRALIASIA
New OTA for Chinese travellers in Australiasia
Travel commerce platform Travelport has partnered with Tourism Integration (New Zealand), a technology-based online travel company, to launch feijipiao.co.nz, described as ‘the first online travel agency (OTA) dedicated to serving Chinese customers in Australasia’.
Apart from communicating with its customers in Chinese, the OTA also offers multiple cross-border renminbi online payment solutions.
The partnership gives feijipiao.co.nz access to Travelport’s Travel Commerce Platform, providing its consumers with easy access to real-time travel content from over 400 airlines, 650,000 hotel properties and extensive car rental, rail and cruise options.
“This is a great initiative in New Zealand and it is great to see a business facilitating travel for the New Zealand Chinese community. Automated comprehensive solutions and an aggregated website for travel purchase by offshore Chinese are good steps forward,” said Phil Goff, mayor of Auckland.
The Chinese community in New Zealand makes up about 4.3% of the total national population.
A similar website serving the Australian market, feijipiao.co.au, will be also be launched in the coming few months.
• Featured image: urf/iStock