ID :
183110
Thu, 05/19/2011 - 11:58
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/183110
The shortlink copeid
STILL NO TICKET FOR AIRASIA X TO FLY TO US, SAYS GROUP CEO FERNANDES
NEW YORK, May 19 (Bernama) -- Air Asia X, the long haul, low fare affiliate
of the AirAsia Group, is still trying to get clearance and approval to fly to
the United States despite trying for the past two years.
Group Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes said while the airline was
looking at New York City and would also like to fly to Hawaii, more legal issues
need to be sorted out first, especially at the government-to-government level
and no timeline was given.
“You can’t be a global airline if you don’t come to America, New York is the
logical first for the US destination, California and Hawaii are also attractive.
“AirAsia is very keen and has set its sights to enter the US market as our
future growth area, which has a good business potential," he told a press
conference after the signing ceremony between AirAsia X and GE Aviation for
purchase of engines for its three aircraft witnessed by Prime Minister Najib Tun
Razak.
The agreements worth more than US$600 million (RM1.8 billion) were signed by
Air Asia X Chief Executive Officer Azran Osman-Rani and Kevin McAllister, Vice-
President and General Manager of Global Sales, GE Aviation.
Also present was AirAsia X Chairman Rafidah Aziz.
The contract between the two companies is for the purchase of CF6-80E1
engines to power the new aircraft order of the three A330-200s.
The aircraft, scheduled for delivery from next year, will be operated on the
carrier’s expanding network, offering low-fare flights to destinations in
Europe, Asia and the Pacific.
Malaysia's national carrier, Malaysia Airlines (MAS), used to fly from
Kuala Lumpur to Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey, near here, via Stockholm,
Sweden, but discontinued the flights to the east coast and closed its office in
the Big Apple.
MAS, however, maintained its operations on the west coast, with flights to
Los Angeles.
Fernandes said the US destinations have been delayed by the multiple
agreements necessary to make it happen, adding that AirAsia X also cannot fly
directly to the US until it received delivery of the Airbus A350 planes.
He said its current fleet would need to stop in Europe on the way, adding
another layer of hurdles.
Meanwhile, Azran said 10 of the 27 new planes on order are Airbus A350s.
He said though approval to stop in the US was "not even half-way there,"
AirAsia X is expected to secure the US destinations either next year or the
following year.
Air Asia X is already marketing in the US, including a sponsorship deal with
professional football's Oakland Raiders, which has already paid dividends by
causing a surge in AirAsia X's facebook fans and twitter followers at the
popular social media websites.
The destinations AirAsia X can eventually serve are virtually limitless,
Fernandes said, joking that he will retire when Azran tells him AirAsia X will
fly to Brazil, where Fernandes would like to play soccer and visit the famous
Copacabana beach.
of the AirAsia Group, is still trying to get clearance and approval to fly to
the United States despite trying for the past two years.
Group Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes said while the airline was
looking at New York City and would also like to fly to Hawaii, more legal issues
need to be sorted out first, especially at the government-to-government level
and no timeline was given.
“You can’t be a global airline if you don’t come to America, New York is the
logical first for the US destination, California and Hawaii are also attractive.
“AirAsia is very keen and has set its sights to enter the US market as our
future growth area, which has a good business potential," he told a press
conference after the signing ceremony between AirAsia X and GE Aviation for
purchase of engines for its three aircraft witnessed by Prime Minister Najib Tun
Razak.
The agreements worth more than US$600 million (RM1.8 billion) were signed by
Air Asia X Chief Executive Officer Azran Osman-Rani and Kevin McAllister, Vice-
President and General Manager of Global Sales, GE Aviation.
Also present was AirAsia X Chairman Rafidah Aziz.
The contract between the two companies is for the purchase of CF6-80E1
engines to power the new aircraft order of the three A330-200s.
The aircraft, scheduled for delivery from next year, will be operated on the
carrier’s expanding network, offering low-fare flights to destinations in
Europe, Asia and the Pacific.
Malaysia's national carrier, Malaysia Airlines (MAS), used to fly from
Kuala Lumpur to Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey, near here, via Stockholm,
Sweden, but discontinued the flights to the east coast and closed its office in
the Big Apple.
MAS, however, maintained its operations on the west coast, with flights to
Los Angeles.
Fernandes said the US destinations have been delayed by the multiple
agreements necessary to make it happen, adding that AirAsia X also cannot fly
directly to the US until it received delivery of the Airbus A350 planes.
He said its current fleet would need to stop in Europe on the way, adding
another layer of hurdles.
Meanwhile, Azran said 10 of the 27 new planes on order are Airbus A350s.
He said though approval to stop in the US was "not even half-way there,"
AirAsia X is expected to secure the US destinations either next year or the
following year.
Air Asia X is already marketing in the US, including a sponsorship deal with
professional football's Oakland Raiders, which has already paid dividends by
causing a surge in AirAsia X's facebook fans and twitter followers at the
popular social media websites.
The destinations AirAsia X can eventually serve are virtually limitless,
Fernandes said, joking that he will retire when Azran tells him AirAsia X will
fly to Brazil, where Fernandes would like to play soccer and visit the famous
Copacabana beach.
