Airlines

Air Asia Prepares for long-haul routes to Istanbul, Dubai, and London.

The airline expects to increase its operating fleet to 15 A330 aircraft by the first half of the calendar year 2023 to meet strong consumer demand.

The medium to long-haul affiliate airline of AirAsia Aviation Group, AirAsia X, reported revenue of RM107 million for the three months ending June 30, 2022, a little decrease of 5% quarter-over-quarter from the RM113 million reported for the three months ending March 31, 2022.

AirAsia X is legally restricted from providing any cash refund to passengers and travel agents. In its aim to ensure that affected passengers are able to fly with the airline again, and as a gesture of goodwill, AAX opted to offer promotional air privileges in the form of travel vouchers to passengers, amounting to the full amount of the cancelled flight bookings caused by the pandemic.

Currently, AAX operates a fleet of 5 A330s from a fleet of 11 A330 aircraft. The airline expects to increase its operating fleet to 15 A330 aircraft by the first half of the calendar year 2023 to meet strong consumer demand. AAX currently operates scheduled passenger flights to Seoul, South Korea, and Delhi, India, and has announced a return of services to Australia and Japan by end of the year, in addition to new long-haul routes to Istanbul, Dubai, and London.

AAX had on 18 August 2022 announced the change of its financial year end to 31 December 2022, hence covering a period of 18 months. This came on the back of the completion of its restructuring exercise, to enhance the airline’s operations and recovery strategy, on top of recalibrating its focus on the revamped business plan. AAX had previously on 2 December 2020 announced the change in its financial year end from 31 December 2020 to 30 June 2021. Consequently, there will be no available comparative financial information for the preceding financial year’s corresponding periods.

Airlines

PIA Reinstates Manchester and Paris Routes After EU Ban Lift

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has announced plans to resume flights to Europe starting in January, beginning with Paris as its first destination.

The decision follows the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) removal of a long-standing ban on the airline. PIA’s inaugural flight to Paris is scheduled for January 10, with bookings opening on December 9.

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In an official statement, PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez Khan confirmed that the first flight schedule has been approved, marking a significant milestone in the airline’s recovery efforts. The EU ban had previously cost PIA approximately Rs40 billion ($144 million) annually in lost revenue, compounding its financial struggles.

With European operations restarting, PIA is now setting its sights on the United Kingdom. The airline plans to seek approval from the UK Department for Transport (DfT) to resume flights to major British cities such as London, Manchester, and Birmingham.

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These routes are anticipated to see high demand once necessary clearances are obtained. The lifting of the EU ban represents a key achievement for PIA as it works to rebuild its international network and regain its standing in the global aviation market.

By restoring flights to Europe and aiming for UK destinations, PIA is taking critical steps toward recovering lost ground and improving its financial outlook.