Summary
- AirAsia continues to connect India to a vast network of 130 destinations across Asia and the Asia Pacific.
- The airline’s operations in India have changed, with AirAsia India being merged into Air India Express and the brand being retired.
- AirAsia group airlines, including AirAsia Malaysia and AirAsia Thailand, serve India with ten direct routes from Malaysia and Thailand, and AirAsia X Malaysia operates eight weekly flights to New Delhi and Amritsar from Kuala Lumpur.
AirAsia will continue to look for growth in India as it opens a new route to Guwahati and expands offerings from its bases in Thailand and Malaysia.
The aviation arm of Capital A previously served the Indian market with its AirAsia India brand. The carrier was merged into Air India Express, and the brand was finally retired earlier this month.
Reaching into India.
Since the end of AirAsia India operations, the AirAsia group airlines have served the country from their respective bases. In the short-haul sector, AirAsia Malaysia and AirAsia Thailand operate a strong network of ten direct Indian routes from Malaysia and Thailand, with 104 weekly flights.
The medium-haul affiliate airline AirAsia X Malaysia will continue to fly eight weekly flights to New Delhi and Amritsar from Kuala Lumpur. AirAsia Aviation Group Limited Group CEO Bo Lingam reaffirmed the group’s commitment to the Indian market:
“India has always been a key market for AirAsia and following recent changes to our operations in the country, we remain committed to serving the market. We have flown a remarkable 1,601,601 guests from India between January and November this year, showcasing the enduring strength of our great value fares and connectivity.”
Photo: AirAsia
Destinations served by AirAsia across India include Guwahati, New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Tiruchirappalli, Kochi, and Hyderabad.
Leveraging the larger network.
The AirAsia group also aims to capture connecting traffic to route through its network across Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand with one booking. The group announced it is expanding the capacity of existing routes, including Australia’s Gold Coast, and launching an entirely new subsidiary in Cambodia.
Recovery has been strong for the aviation group, which reported substantial load factors in its third-quarter results. The group as a whole recorded a 49% increase in passenger numbers over the same period last year and has now recovered to three-quarters of its pre-pandemic levels. AirAsia’s Head of Regional Commercial for India, Manoj Dharmani, noted just how important India is to the carrier’s success:
“AirAsia remains deeply committed to India, and our guests should rest assured that India remains at the core of our operations. Over the years, we have witnessed tremendous growth, connecting countless cities and regions in India to the world, and we are proud to share that AirAsia now serves 11 destinations in India.
Our expansion in India has resulted in 104 weekly flights, making us a vital and reliable link between India and the globe. We look forward to serving the Indian market with the commitment to further enhancing connectivity and accessibility for our guests across the country.”
Photo: AirAsia
In addition to continuing existing routes, CEO Bo Lingam confirmed the launch of a new route to Thiruvananthapuram is coming soon.