AirAsia announced that it is boosting its domestic network within Malaysia by adding 2,000 weekly flights and 150,000 seats across 40 key routes by the end of 2024.
The low-cost carrier said this is in response to a growing demand for year-end travel and will provide more options for both local and regional guests.
“As we expand our domestic operations with a total of 1.7 million seats available for booking by December 2024, we are not just meeting the travel needs of Malaysians – we are also opening doors for regional travelers to explore and experience Malaysia’s unique destinations, cultural heartlands, and world-famous cuisines,” AirAsia Malaysia Managing Director, Dato’ Captain Fareh Mazputra said in a statement.
“Like many other airlines, we are navigating challenges such as aircraft shortages and supply chain disruptions. However, we have made it a priority to manage these issues with careful planning, operational efficiency and reliable service recovery to minimize the impact on our guests whilst ensuring they get to their destinations safely,” Mazputra added.
The airline said its market share is expected to increase to 64% as a result of the domestic expansion.
In line with its ongoing efforts to enhance the customer experience, AirAsia is also introducing AirAsia Plus which offers added value to guests flying to and from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SZB). The add-on product includes 7kg cabin baggage, 20kg checked baggage, seat selection, inflight meal/snack, and Baggage and On-Time Guarantee (OTG) insurance.
Seasonal flights to Harbin, China
Also taking advantage of the end-of-year travel surge is Thai AirAsia X, which announced the launch of seasonal charter flights to Harbin Taiping International Airport (HRB) from Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport (DMK).
The eight-hour direct flight will run from December 2024 to February 2025.
Harbin is located in Heilongjiang, the northernmost province of China. The city receives cold winter wind from Siberia, and is known as the “Ice City” of China. Every year, the city hosts the International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival between December to January. The celebration is one of the world’s four largest ice and snow festivals, along with Japan’s Sapporo Snow Festival, Canada’s Quebec City Winter Carnival, and Norway’s Ski Festival.
The airline will fly direct from Don Murang to Harbin with its 377-seater Airbus A330, which offers standard as well as Premium Flatbed seats.
Air passenger growth in Southeast Asia
In its recently-published commercial market outlook for Southeast Asia, Boeing said that air traffic growth in the region is expected to triple in the next 20 years.
The plane manufacturer also said that passenger air traffic in Southeast Asia should grow 7.2% annually until 2043, well above the 4.7% average annual growth rate globally.
Rising household incomes and above global average economic growth are the factors cited by Boeing to be the main reasons behind the growth.
“Southeast Asia’s growing fleet – especially single-aisle airplanes – will play an important role in further connecting the region’s island geography and serving travel demand across the Asia-Pacific region, particularly routes to China and Northeast Asia,” David Schulte, Managing Director of Boeing Commercial Marketing for Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania said in a statement.