AirAsia looks to add Tier 2/3 cities to its India route map

AirAsia to Expand its Reach in India
Chennai, Feb 27 (IANS) – The Malaysia headquartered AirAsia airline is planning to add Jaipur, Vishakapattinam, and Ahmedabad to its route map, with a focus on Tier 2/3 cities in India. The airline sees India as a key market contributing 18% of its total revenue, and looks to connect more cities beyond the metros. Currently flying directly to Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok from 14 Indian cities, AirAsia aims to expand its services to cities like Patna and Calicut.
Kesavan Sivanandam, Chief Airport & Customer Experience Officer, AirAsia, stated, “We have the bilateral rights for Patna and Calicut. We want to connect Madurai, Coimbatore, and other Indian cities as well.” With a fleet of 225 aircraft, of which 200 are operational post-Covid, the airline faces challenges in meeting the demand due to the availability of aircraft and MRO facilities.
AirAsia holds a market share of 51% between India and Malaysia, with plans to further strengthen its presence. Tourism Malaysia’s Overseas Director stated that nearly 5,87,000 Indians visited Malaysia till November last year, and with visa-free entry till 2024, the numbers are expected to reach 7,00,000. AirAsia aims to maintain a significant portion of the expected passenger traffic between the two countries with its expansion plans.
The airline has an average fleet age of 12 years and has ordered 650 new planes, with deliveries commencing by the end of this year. Sivanandam highlighted the pent up demand in India, emphasizing that passenger load is not an issue, but the availability of aircraft and MRO facilities are major concerns. AirAsia’s expansion plans reflect its commitment to furthering its presence in the Indian market and catering to the growing demand for air travel.
–IANS
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