Three of the world's popular budget airlines are in discussions to form a Malaysia-based long haul airline joint venture company.
Richard Branson's Virgin, AirAsia's Tony Fernandes and EasyJet's Stelios Haji-Ioannou, a "lethal" trio....
Kuala Lumpur to Manchester and to Amritsar would be the first destinations, for as low as 100 ringgit ($27) for destinations in China, Hangzhou near Shanghai and Tianjin near Beijing.
Prices to Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, could start from as little as £43 and tickets from Kuala Lumpur to China might be as low as £14.
There would be another £40 in tax — whatever the ticket price — plus other potential charges.
Luton airport could become the hub.
Fernandes' world budget airline, Virgin, AirAsia, EasyJet?
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Fernandes' world budget airline, Virgin, AirAsia, EasyJet?
Last edited by SN30952 on 06 Jan 2007, 07:50, edited 1 time in total.
NO easyJet AND VIRGIN ALLIANCE
You may have seen some press reports over the last couple of days that link easyJet to an alliance with Virgin Atlantic and Air Asia, a low-cost airline based in Kuala Lumpar. You may be interested to know that there is no truth in any of these rumours and it seems as if somebody spoke to the press about an idea before speaking to us about it.
We have always shied-away from any kind of alliance or formal cooperation with other airlines. Our mantra has always been that complexity adds cost and these proposals often look attractive at the start but usually end up with discussions about through-ticketing, transfer passengers, revenue sharing, schedule alignment and the like - which we just don't do.
Given that it is the season of Santa Claus and make believe, our involvement in this story is best confined to the dustbin of airline rumours.
press.office@easyJet.com
You may have seen some press reports over the last couple of days that link easyJet to an alliance with Virgin Atlantic and Air Asia, a low-cost airline based in Kuala Lumpar. You may be interested to know that there is no truth in any of these rumours and it seems as if somebody spoke to the press about an idea before speaking to us about it.
We have always shied-away from any kind of alliance or formal cooperation with other airlines. Our mantra has always been that complexity adds cost and these proposals often look attractive at the start but usually end up with discussions about through-ticketing, transfer passengers, revenue sharing, schedule alignment and the like - which we just don't do.
Given that it is the season of Santa Claus and make believe, our involvement in this story is best confined to the dustbin of airline rumours.
press.office@easyJet.com
The plan will be unveiled at a news conference on Friday....
The plan will be unveiled at a news conference on Friday, the executive told Dow Jones Newswires on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to reveal details beforehand.Mudvayne wrote:NO easyJet AND VIRGIN ALLIANCE
You may have seen some press reports over the last couple of days that link easyJet to an alliance with Virgin Atlantic and Air Asia, a low-cost airline based in Kuala Lumpar. You may be interested to know that there is no truth in any of these rumours and it seems as if somebody spoke to the press about an idea before speaking to us about it.
press.office@easyJet.com
In The Manchester Evening News:
First global budget airline 'will fly from Manchester'
In The Edge Daily:
Fernandes to use FAX to form long-haul budget airline
"... reports on Jan 3 suggested that AirAsia would not be involved in the formation of the new airline..."
In The China Post:
Malaysian tycoon's 2nd airline to offer long-haul budget flights
The Star newspaper had reported on Monday that AirAsia is in talks with Virgin and another British no-frills airline, easyJet, to form an alliance.
Fly Asian Express, also known as FAX, plans to fly from Malaysia to the U.K., Europe and China.
If the plan will be unveiled at a news conference on Friday, we will know. 8)
BTW: FAX is in talks with Boeing Co. and Airbus to buy or lease wide-bodied jets.
AirAsia X currently remains under the management of FAX.
AirAsia X is scheduled to start putting its tickets for sale at the end of February on AirAsia's online booking website.
The company is targeting 500,000 passengers in its first year of operations.
AirAsia X will begin flying to destinations in China, India and Europe in July.
Food, drinks and inflight entertainment would be offered on the flights on request and on payment.
The first flight from Kuala Lumpur to Europe is scheduled for July, with the cheapest ticket fare going at 9.99 ringgit ($2.7) one-way. Wider and more spacious seats will also be made available at premium prices.
On the other hand, rumours indicated that Air Asia X would partner with Virgin and easyJet and that those deals have already been solidified, are premature.
Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary thinks long-haul low fare airlines can not work.
AirAsia X is scheduled to start putting its tickets for sale at the end of February on AirAsia's online booking website.
The company is targeting 500,000 passengers in its first year of operations.
AirAsia X will begin flying to destinations in China, India and Europe in July.
Food, drinks and inflight entertainment would be offered on the flights on request and on payment.
The first flight from Kuala Lumpur to Europe is scheduled for July, with the cheapest ticket fare going at 9.99 ringgit ($2.7) one-way. Wider and more spacious seats will also be made available at premium prices.
On the other hand, rumours indicated that Air Asia X would partner with Virgin and easyJet and that those deals have already been solidified, are premature.
Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary thinks long-haul low fare airlines can not work.
either the 777-300 or the Airbus 330-300
Fernandes said AirAsia X expected to carry half a million passengers in its first year of operation and was looking at acquiring 20 new aircraft.
"It will be of one type only, either the 777-300 or the Airbus 330-300. We will make an announcement by the end of January," he said.
AirAsia may buy an additional 100 Airbus A320 jets to support its rapid growth and hopes to finalize talks by end January.
AirAsia X is expected to order up to 20 wide-body Airbus A330s or Boeing 777s this month and will commence services with two to three aircraft.
AirAsia X: Fernandes owns half, Kamarudin Meranum, executive director of AirAsia, holds 30%, and Raja Azmi, AirAsia's former chief financial officer the rest of the carrier's shares.
"It will be of one type only, either the 777-300 or the Airbus 330-300. We will make an announcement by the end of January," he said.
AirAsia may buy an additional 100 Airbus A320 jets to support its rapid growth and hopes to finalize talks by end January.
AirAsia X is expected to order up to 20 wide-body Airbus A330s or Boeing 777s this month and will commence services with two to three aircraft.
AirAsia X: Fernandes owns half, Kamarudin Meranum, executive director of AirAsia, holds 30%, and Raja Azmi, AirAsia's former chief financial officer the rest of the carrier's shares.