AirAsia group resumes old routes

Travel and tourism industry must work together with one consistent set of protocols and procedures for guests, AirAsia group president, airlines, Bo Lingam said.

PETALING JAYA: AirAsia X (AAX), the mid-range airline subsidiary of the AirAsia Aviation Group, will be the first Malaysian carrier to reconnect Kuala Lumpur with Busan when it resumes non-stop flights there beginning early next year

Following the inauguration of service to Seoul in April this year, the thrice weekly flights will be AAX’s second service to South Korea.

In a statement yesterday, AAX said it had also signed a memorandum with the Busan Tourism Organisation (BTO) to create coordinated sales and marketing campaigns, to leverage collective support from travel agents, improve flight connectivity and advance the economies of both nations through tourism.

AAX CEO Benyamin Ismail and BTO president Lee Jung-sil inked the memorandum in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

AAX is expected to see the flight frequency to Busan return to daily services by the end of the year as it starts with thrice weekly services, and hopes the relaunched Busan route will provide a significant boost to strengthen business and tourism ties between Malaysia and South Korea.

On Nov 7, AAX resumed services to Tokyo’s Haneda airport after Japan’s border was fully reopened to tourism.

“We are excited to be the first airline from Malaysia to return to Busan. South Korea is an incredibly important market and we have seen tremendous growth from our existing route to Seoul with around 80% average load factor.

“Starting with three weekly services and based on strong forecast demand, we expect the flight frequency to Busan to return to daily services by year-end.

“We wish to thank both governments and relevant authorities for their tremendous support.

“In 2019, we flew about 200,000 guests to and from Busan. As we look to further increase the connectivity to South Korea, we trust that our direct flights to Busan will provide a welcome boost for tourism and the economy in both countries,” said Benyamin, adding that the resumption of the direct route also reflected AAX’s commitment to continuously offer great value mid-range air travel.

He said that AAX was looking forward to seeing a surge in tourist arrivals into/from Busan in the near future.

For Lee, the collaboration with AAX to strengthen the tourism opportunities in Busan, a city with a unique heritage, natural attractions and leading infrastructure, is highly cherished.

“The last two-and-a-half years had a big impact on our tourism industry but we managed to surpass these challenges and are pleased that AAX will be part of this effort.

“The relaunch of AAX direct flights to Busan will mark a major milestone in the resumption of services to the city. We believe travellers will appreciate the direct and affordable connection, making Busan a top holiday destination once again,” he said.

On Nov 12, AirAsia Malaysia also resumed direct flights from its home base to Taiwan’s Kaohsiung after a lapse of two years caused by the pandemic.

“This inaugural flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kaohsiung is a long-awaited occasion for us,” said Riad Asmat, CEO of AirAsia Malaysia, in a statement.

Since 2005, the Kaohsiung and Taipei routes have been among the busiest and most travelled for both business and leisure.

Ticket prices for Kaohsiung and Taipei start from just RM349 for an all-in fare for travel between Jan 1, 2023, and March 30, 2024.