airasia $99 fares Christchurch to Malaysia

AirAsia X offers flights between Christchurch and Kuala Lumpur commencing 1 April 2011. Tickets go on sale at www.airasia.com from midday December 3rd to December 5th or until fares are sold out, for flights from April 1st – November 2011.

The Malaysia-based carrier nnounced introductory $99 one-way direct flights from Christchurch to Malaysia which, when combined with its regular Kuala Lumpur to London or Paris fares, means Kiwis will be able to fly to Europe for around $1000 return. Promotional fares can be even lower.*

“Long haul air travel is now accessible to the average New Zealander,” says CEO Azran Osman-Rani. “Our average fares are always the lowest in the market.
Kuala Lumpur to Christchurch
08:55/00:10 (+1)
D7 2754
Friday
Christchurch to Kuala Lumpur
01:25/07:45
D7 2755
Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday

The airline launched services to the Gold Coast in 2007 and within the first 12 months demand grew by 46 per cent – 23 times faster than overall Queensland international market growth**. By opening up more international opportunities, feedback is that locals have adopted AirAsia X ‘as their own’. From an initial four flights a week, AirAsia X has increased its capacity to daily flights.

Analysis of AirAsia X’s impact since it launched in Australia three years ago indicates there will likely be a 35-53 per cent increase in New Zealanders travelling from Christchurch to Malaysia**. It’s expected that the airline will be popular with New Zealanders travelling to destinations such as Bali, and to Phuket and Krabi in Thailand.

The AirAsia X plane include some of the latest models from Airbus, including the A330-300 and A340 –300. AirAsia X has 10 Airbus aircraft with an order of 25.

AirAsia X flies to 13 other destinations in Australia, UK / Europe, China, Korea, India, Iran, Japan and Taiwan, while its affiliate – AirAsia – flies to all the ASEAN cities and destinations in South East Asia.

Wellington-based aviation consultant Gordon Bevan says this means New Zealanders will now be able to reach many destinations with fewer stops, and at prices that are typically 20-40 per cent cheaper than those offered by other airlines. “AirAsia offers a much wider, much broader network from Asia than our existing carriers. People will be able to ‘try things out’ because it’s so much cheaper – you can go lots of places from KL for NZ$50.”

For travellers wanting extra services, AirAsia X promotional premium fares – Christchurch to Malaysia – with flatbed seats will be $890 one-way.
“There is plenty of room in the market for AirAsia X to operate alongside the established providers such as Singapore Airlines, Emirates and Air New Zealand,” says Christchurch International Airport Chief Executive Jim Boult. “The AirAsia network is so extensive it’s going to introduce New Zealand to passengers that the existing airlines don’t tap into. AirAsia targets mostly high-growth markets whose populations are rapidly developing an appetite for travel.”