A new low cost long haul carrier, based in Malaysian and planning to fly to Europe, India and China, has been launched.
A small Malaysian short haul operation called FlyAsianExpress (FAX) will fly to so far unnamed destinations as AirAsiaX using either A330-300s Airbuses or Boeing or 777-300ERs.
FAX is 50% owned by Tony Fernandes, founder of AirAsia, a low cost short haul operator in the region.
The other stakeholders are AirAsia executive director Kamarudin Meranun who controls 30% and former AirAsia cfo Raja Azmi who owns the remaining 20%.
The new carrier will be based at Kuala Lumpur International Airport's low cost terminal and start flights in July 2007, its owners said.
While the destinations have not been names, there was speculation that one of the European destinations could be Manchester in the UK.
Before the launch there was speculation that AirAsia might announce a tie up with Virgin Atlantic and possibly easyJet – the latter carrier denied any talks were taking place.
Links with other carriers have not been ruled out but nothing concrete seems so far to have been agreed.
Mr Fernandes, who previously worked for Virgin Records, said AirAsiaX would "bring independence to the long-haul low-cost."
He added he expected to attract 500,000 passengers in AirAsiaX's first year of operation and they could expect "unbelievably low fares."
Mr Fernandes said he was also planning to increase AirAsia''s order for new aircraft by up to 100 as part of his strategy to make it the biggest carrier in Asia within seven years.
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