Air Asia boosts India-Malaysia flights with 1.5 million seats in 2024
This is in response to the Malaysian government's announcement of a 30-day visa-free entry for Indians
Photo: AirAsia Head of Regional Commercial (India), Manoj Dharmani
Hyderabad: AirAsia announced a significant service increase between Malaysia and India, totalling an impressive 69 weekly flights starting in the first quarter of 2024, with up to 1.5 million seats per year.
The significant increase in capacity comes in response to the anticipated surge in travel demand following the Malaysian government’s announcement of a 30-day visa-free entry for travellers from India into Malaysia starting 1 December 2023.
The announcement also coincides with the recent announcement by the governments of Thailand and Vietnam of a visa-free entry initiative for visitors from India to these countries. This enables Indian travellers to explore other Asean nations affordably via AirAsia’s Fly-Thru service with a one-stop in Kuala Lumpur and connect to Bangkok, Phuket, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and more seamlessly.
Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes said: “This is a huge, much-anticipated news not only for AirAsia but for the country, and we truly thank the Malaysian government, particularly Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, for this forward-thinking initiative. AirAsia has been at the forefront of trying to make visiting Malaysia from India easier. The 30-day visa-free entry for the citizens of India will surely provide a welcome boost for Malaysia’s tourism and its economy ahead of the upcoming peak travel season while boosting economic bonds between these great nations. As a vital player in the aviation sector, we stand ready to add capacity to support the demand for affordable and accessible air travel in the region.”
AirAsia Head of Regional Commercial (India), Manoj Dharmani added: “We see this as an opportunity not only to enhance regional connectivity between two of our largest markets but also to act as a catalyst for significant economic growth. In the first quarter next year, AirAsia will be operating a total of 69 flights weekly to Kuala Lumpur from nine destinations in India from Bengaluru, Kolkata, Kochi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, NewDelhi, Amritsar and Trivandrum - a new destination commencing February 2024.”
Following the recent changes to AirAsia’s operations in the country, the airline remains committed to serving the Indian market by connecting millions of Indian travellers to international destinations from India with an extensive network of 130 destinations across Asia and the Asia Pacific.
