DGCA to send team to inspect Air Asia facilities

NEW DELHI: Ahead of granting flying permit to AirAsia India, aviation regulator DGCA is sending a team of its officers to Malaysia next week to inspect and certify facilities where the start-up carrier is training its cockpit and cabin crew. 

AirAsia India, which is using the training facilities of its parent airline AirAsia in Malaysia, plans to set up similar facilities in India in the coming years, airline sources said. 

However before these training facilities come up in India, the first few batches of AirAsia India crew, comprising little over 100 personnel, are undergoing training in Malaysia which would be inspected by the officials of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), they said. 

The airline is hopeful of receiving the air operator's permit (or the flying license) by January end, with officials saying work was going on in full-swing in that direction. 

The DGCA team is likely to reach Kuala Lumpur next week, official sources said, adding once these training facilities are certified, the approvals could be reviewed in the next one or two years. 

The officials said the no-frill carrier, a joint venture of AirAsia, Tatas and Telstra Tradeplace, have tailored the training curriculum to meet Indian aviation requirements. In February, the three companies had announced signing of an agreement to launch an Indian no-frill carrier. 

On September 20, AirAsia India got the No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Civil Aviation Ministry to start airline operations in India after which it applied to the aviation regulator for a permit. It plans to operate a fleet of Airbus A320-200 aircraft, initially with 4-5 planes and quickly expand it to ten in a year. 

Meanwhile, the second aviation venture of the Tatas -- a full-service carrier to be launched by it and the Singapore Airlines (SIA), has applied for the NOC to the Ministry. Tata Sons, the majority partner, and SIA would make a total initial investment of USD 100 million. 

On September 19, Tata-SIA had announced signing a MoU and applying for Foreign Investment Promotion Board's approval to establish the new airline. FIPB, the nodal agency that clears foreign direct investments in India, gave its nod to the proposal on October 24. 

Source : http://economictimes.indiatimes.com 

Malindo Air targets 3 million passengers for next year

NEWS

• Hybrid airline targets 3 million passengers
• increase 120,000 seats with current 60,000 seats
• add 14 aircraft to total of 25 fleet size by end of 2014

"indirectly, more routes mean more frequencies and better connectivity and therefore more options for consumers to choose. -create healthy competition will result in competitive prices being offered"  -said Chandran Ramamurthy, CEO of Malindo Air.


Malindo Air, Malaysia's hybrid airline, aims to achieve more than three million passenger target by end-2014, with the opening of the spanking new KLIA2 on May 2, 2014.

Chief Executive Officer Chandran Rama Muthy said: "we're already touching about 900,000 passengers this month. We aim to touch the first one million passengers by early next year and more than three million by the end of next year.

"As KLIA2 is coming in the pipeline, Malindo Air planned to come in at the earliest in May and with that, we hope to get over three million passengers by putting more aircraft at KLIA2 and in Subang Airport," he told the media after the launching of Malindo Air's inaugural flight from Kuala Lumpur to New Delhi by Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Aziz Kaprawi here Monday. After New Delhi, the airline would spread its wings to other cities in India, Chandran said.

"Trichy will be our next destination, with the inaugural flight scheduled on Jan 2; Mumbai on Feb 15; and Ahmedabad on March 19; with other cities such as Kochin and Chennai are also on our radar," he said.

The airline also planned to expand to the second-tier market such as to Amritsar, the Holy City of the Sikh, and Pune by the second half of 2014.

Currently, Malindo has a fleet strength of 11 aircraft, with two new ATR72-600 aircraft arriving today.

The airline planned to expand its fleet strength to 25 aircraft by next year, he added.


Source : The Edge Malaysia, 31 Dec 2013

AirAsia to benefit from KL Sentral-klia2 rail link

PREMIUM air travellers, who previously may have been hesitant to fly via the low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT), could soon be enticed to use the new Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2), which is due to open on May 2 next year.

Premium travellers, who see departing from the present LCCT as being inconvenient and uncomfortable, could change their minds when klia2 opens, and this will be a boon for AirAsia Bhd.

"The rail link between the main KLIA terminal, klia2 and Kuala Lumpur's KL Sentral station will lure premium passengers to AirAsia, given the carrier's higher flight frequencies and punctuality," said RHB Research Institute Sdn Bhd.

"This will be positive in providing an upside to overall passenger yields. In fact, AirAsia has taken the opportunity to offer a 'Hi Flyer' scheme tailored to the needs of business and premium passengers, which provides the flexibility of flight timing and express boarding."

RHB Research added that the extra service offering has led to strong take-ups from the business community.

The firm said AirAsia has taken delivery of 11 aircraft, of which five were delivered this month alone, in line with its assumption of an average of six new aircraft for 2013.

RHB Research expects AirAsia to take delivery of four aircraft in 2014 and three in 2015.

In total, the AirAsia group is expected to take delivery of 31 aircraft, although most would be deployed to its associates.

As such, AirAsia will reap the benefits of higher lease rental income.

RHB Research expects this will grow by 18 and 10 per cent for 2014 and 2015, respectively.

With loads expected to hover at 78 per cent for 2014-2015 (down by one percentage point from its 2013 assumption), AirAsia should see its revenue passenger kilometre grow by seven and five per cent, respectively.

On its yield outlook, RHB Research said while there may still be pressure on airfare yield, this will be mitigated by the higher ancillary revenue that AirAsia is expected to rake in, notably from the recent revision of its baggage weighing structure and new ancillary initiatives launched, such as "Hi Flyer".

AirAsia's baggage revision and stricter passenger inspection of cabin luggage have enabled the carrier to garner the highest baggage revenue per pax collected in third quarter 2013 of RM21.30 per passenger.

PLUS joins kids indoor theme park KidZania

Welcome aboard: Susanah (left) presenting the key to the city of KidZania to Noorizah as KidZania RightZKeeper, Chika (middle), looks on.

three more fun-filled activities for children from over 100 role-play opportunities available.

PLUS Malaysia Berhad is the newest attraction at the KidZania Kuala Lumpur.

The partnership will see the addition of three more fun-filled activities for children from over 100 role-play opportunities available.

Beyond being aware of PLUS through the highway systems nationwide, children can now have a taste of being part of this company in the service industry in the city of KidZania.

Children can participate as a customer service assistant learning about managing and manning a toll booth to honing on soft skills when communicating with road users.

They can also embark on a journey as a PLUSRonda officer patrolling the streets or that of a maintenance crew to assist road users during their journey and ensuring that KidZania’s Driving Street is always safe and sound.

PLUS Malaysia managing director/chief executive officer Datuk Noorizah Abd Hamid said, “Joining the KidZania family is an honour as PLUS Malaysia hopes that by continually connecting with younger children who will be future road users on the importance of road safety, children will be inspired to be good and courteous drivers and will recognise the importance of implementing road safety measures.

“Every individual can play a role in making road safety a culture, and this can start from the grassroots level with the young children of KidZania Kuala Lumpur,” she said.

The children’s experience will also be enhanced through the use of PLUS Malaysia’s uniforms and safety vests which will help in getting them in character to fulfil their roles.

Cars at KidZania will also be installed with SmartTAG transponders so children understand better and enjoy PLUS Malaysia’s state-of-the-art facilities such as its paperless toll transactions.

KidZania Kuala Lumpur mayor and general manager Susanah Abdul Rani presented the key to the city of KidZania to Noorizah in a symbolic gesture of the newfound partnership.

Also present at the event was Themed Attractions and Resorts managing director and chief executive officer and Governor of KidZania Tunku Datuk Ahmad Burhanuddin.

Source : The Star Online, 31 Dec 2013