British billionaire Richard Branson of Virgin Group to buy 20% stake in Fly Asian Express (FAX) (AirAsia), teaming up with Asia’s aviation tycoon Tony Fernandes to run flights from Malaysia to China, Europe and Australia.
More info click to: Virgin’s Branson may buy into AirAsia (Yahoo! News)
Would the airlines name eventually be:
1. Virgin Asia
or
2. Asian Virgin
Anyway, both names will attract a certain types of traveler to use the service. 
+ 
In the near future you will be able to use AirAsia with their low cost tickets for those long-haul flight from Asia to US and Europe.
The Malaysian Government has given AirAsiaX rights to 36 destinations where more will be granted over time.
AirAsiaX is preparing to fly to Britain (probably Gatwick Airport) by July, follow by:
According to this “Asia’s discount airlines reach for the West” Malaysia’s AirAsiaX, for example, will launch low-cost flights to London – a global hub – and also to the cities of Birmingham and Manchester.
And AirAsia by all means is not the first that is doing this
Oasis, a start-up airline in Hong Kong, has begun daily flights to London for as low as $147 one way and plans this year to offer similar deals to Oakland, Calif. and Chicago. Jetstar Airways, a subsidiary of Australia’s Qantas Airways, sells bargain tickets on routes between Australia and Southeast Asia.
Does this means you will be trapped on your seat for long hours without food, water or entertainment? Not necessarily.
Oasis offers free meals and in-flight entertainment, while Jetstar, which flies between Sydney and Honolulu, has blankets, food, and movies for sale.
So how can they keep fares so low? The secret, says Steve Miller, CEO of Oasis, lies in the efficient use of aircraft and crews, flexible pricing, and an attractive business class.
Advertised one-way fares from Hong Kong to London start at $147, but most flyers pay more (HOW MUCH MORE?), and business-class seats start at $920.
Nice to see all the competition in this area, next time you plan to travel to London from HK for example, perhaps the price will be even cheaper.
Airline links:
Asia Airlines, Hong Kong Travel, Malaysia Travel, Travel NewsI just found this important tips on CNNMoney.com: 5 dirty secrets of airfares.
The tips are basically for American traveler in US, but it can still be apply to any airlines, including Asian Airlines or more specifically Asian Budget / Low cost carriers.
If you are a seasoned traveler then you probably already know this, but for the rest of us here are five “secrets” to remember that can help you find the best fares on Internet:
For the complete article from CNN Money click here: 5 dirty secrets of airfares
airlines, asia, Asia Airlines, budget, lowcost, southeastasia, tickets, Travel Tips
The next time you are on airplane and flying economy class or coach, you might find yourself on standing “seats”.
This might happen since the airlines trying to fit together more passengers for each flights, citing the even increasing fuel costs as one of the reason.
The low cost airlines might come first, specially for its short-haul routes.
New York Time’s article, “One Day, That Economy Ticket May Buy You a Place to Stand” also mentioned two Japanese Airlines that might be interested in using this new seating arrangement for its short haul, island hopping routes: All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines.
The rest of Asian low cost airlines might not too far behind.
Asia Airlines, Japan Travel
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Low-cost carrier AirAsia hopes to launch more flights to China and subsequently to India as part of its ambitious plans to become an Asia-wide airline.
Southeast Asia’s most profitable budget carrier is also looking at forming new joint-ventures in the region to boost revenue, group deputy chief executive Kamarudin Meranum told AFP over the weekend.
“We continue to talk to various parties to explore the possibility of establishing joint-ventures,” Kamarudin said.
Kamarudin said Indochina countries and the Philippines were on AirAsia’s radar to form joint-ventures.
“From our experiences in Thailand and Indonesia, we can set up joint-ventures fairly quickly.
“But it must fit into our strategic plan to make AirAsia become an Asian carrier and to provide easy and affordable access for people to travel in the region,” he said.
The Malaysia-based AirAsia has already managed 49 percent-owned joint venture low-cost carriers in Thailand and Indonesia since 2004.
Kamarudin declined to state with which Indochina country — Cambodia, Laos or Vietnam — the carrier would establish a joint-venture.
“In any joint-ventures, we will try to retain as much stake as allowed by the law of the country without contravening the air services agreement,” he said.
The AirAsia official also declined to comment on a report in January that the carrier had partnered with privately-owned Spring Airlines in hopes of tapping China’s budget travel market.
Kamarudin said with the arrival of new Airbus 320 aircraft, AirAsia hoped to increase both flights and frequency to China and other destinations.
“Our Thai hub will cover China and may look at the possibility of going to the Indian subcontinent of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
“It is a natural plan of action to capture the leisure and business market in that region,” he said.
Kamarudin said AirAsia Thailand hoped to mount daily flights from the Thai capital Bangkok to Xiamen in southeast China, up from four flights a week now.
“We want to have a minimum of one flight a day to all our destinations. From there we will increase the frequency,” he said. Besides Xiamen, AirAsia flies to the southern Chinese territory of Macau.
But with the arrival of the A320s, airline officials said AirAsia would consider flying from Kuala Lumpur to China’s southern cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen, which neighbours Hong Kong.
Kamarudin, however, said AirAsia now faced a shortage of aircraft but when more of the A320 planes arrive, “we will increase the frequency and routes.”
Since last December, AirAsia has taken delivery of five of the 100 A320 aircraft it had ordered. By end of 2006, it will have 15 in service along with the Boeing 737-400s that would be slowly phased out.
AirAsia, which has welcomed the Malaysian government’s domestic rationalisation plan, Friday said that it would hold talks with flag carrier Malaysia Airlines to acquire its 737-400 aircraft and staff.
AirAsia on Thursday secured approval to fly most of Malaysia’s domestic routes.
Under the rationalisation programme, AirAsia would operate all secondary domestic services while also operating on perhaps the five-10 busiest routes with Malaysia Airlines.
The government has ordered both AirAsia and Malaysia Airlines to identify and workout the division of routes by March 27.
Malaysia Airlines has 39 737-400 aircraft which are primarily used for domestic and regional routes.
AirAsia was launched as a budget carrier in December 2001 with just two aircraft. It offers more than 100 domestic and international flights to Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Source: Yahoo! News
Asia Airlines, China Travel, India Travel, Travel NewsThere are four low-cost that has many flights all over Asia (Pan-Asian carriers) but mostly in South East Asia, there are:
Besides the above, other low-cost budget cheap airlines in Asia, country-wise are:
» Low cost airlines in Hong Kong
» Low cost airlines in Indonesia
» Low cost airlines in Thailand
» Low cost airlines in Japan
» Low cost airlines in Macau
» Low cost airlines in Philippines
Info source is from Wikipedia: List of low-cost airlines
More info:
A good travel guide can help you in deciding about the travel lodge plans for your trip. If you are considering air travel, then you can search on the various cheap airlines. A thorough and effective search lets you make airline reservations that will help you in planning out everything on time. Depending upon the destination you select, you will need to survey the best budget hotels available. Your plans might as well include a travel bag that should be handy with the urgent travel necessities.
Asia Airlines, Hong Kong Travel, Indonesia Travel, Japan Travel, Macau Travel, Malaysia Travel, Philippines Travel, Singapore Travel
Special program in March from airasia depart from/to Bangkok Airport. These prices are exclusive tax and fuel surcharge.
Booking Period: 8 Mar 2006 - 23 Mar 2006
Travel Period: 1 Apr 2006 - 28 Oct 2006
International low fares
- Singapore from THB699 / SGD 28.88
- Penang from THB699 / RM 69.99
- Hanoi from THB999 / US$ 25
Domestic low fares:
- Surat Thani from THB 499 (US$ 13)
- Krabi from THB 499 (US$ 13)
Visit airasia for online booking!
Asia Airlines, Malaysia Travel, Singapore Travel, Thailand Travel, Travel Promotions, Vietnam TravelChiang Mai marks the 4th major Thai city served by AirAsia, since the airline launched routes to Bangkok, Phuket, and Hat Yai, from KL International Airport.
Fares for flights to Chiang Mai and Kuala Lumpur are from RM 99.99 / THB 999 one way.
Visit AirAsia website for more information.
Visit this page for more information about Chiang Mai and Kuala Lumpur [from Wikipedia]
News from: AirAsia launches flights between Kuala Lumpur and Chiang Mai
airasia, kuala lumpur, chiang mai, thailand, malaysia
Asia Airlines, Malaysia Travel, Thailand Travel
