Wednesday, August 09, 2006

FAX and AirAsia to complement each other

By JENNE LAJIUN

LAHAD DATU: Fly Asian Xpress Sdn Bhd (FAX) and AirAsia Berhad will not be competing against each other for market share in East Malaysia, according to AirAsia Group Chief Executive Officer Datuk Tony Fernandez.

Speaking to reporters at the ‘FAX Welcome Flight from Kota Kinabalu to Lahad Datu’ here yesterday, Fernandez said the two airlines would actually complement each other in terms of service.

FAX will be concentrating on destinations within the East Malaysian region comprising Sabah and Sarawak, while AirAsia will act as the connector between Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia, he said.

“But of course, there will be some routes where both of us would be operating together. Nevertheless, we would complement each other,” he said.

In his speech, Fernandez said the aim is to bring some 2.2 million people to and from Sabah next year.

Presently, FAX flies to 22 destinations within East Malaysia.

Meanwhile, FAX Chief Executive Officer Raja Mohd Azmi Raja Razali said that FAX is operating 343 weekly flights since taking over the domestic routes from Malaysia Airlines on August 1.

FAX is already experiencing 90 per cent load capacity and is keen on making travelling an experience which is possible for everyone as well as providing easy access to Sabah.

“We also practise the variable fare price which means the early birds get to experience cheaper fares than those who book later,” he said.

FAX is a subsidiary of Tune Air, the holding company of AirAsia. It uses AirAsia’s infrastructure including sales and booking staff and ground handling but its pilots are seconded from MAS.

Courtesy of: New Sabah Times

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