Air Asia China's Connection

As a fellow Malaysian, who have full admiration of Air Asia, I would say that Air Asia's expansion has been a fascinating story for all of us. No one gave Tony Fernandes and his gang the chance, but they proved it. Today, they are carrying 16 million passengers a year. That's astonishing. A Malaysian-based start up that is very well-known around the world. People are looking at it, as the next Virgin. Talks have even surfaced about Air Asia purchasing Virgin Blue.

Air Asia has yet made another announcement. It is going to fly direct to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport from our KLIA LCCT Terminal. This is yet another breakthrough. Malaysians would now have another destination that they can fly to at a cheap rate.

Currently, Air Asia is already flying 45 flights weekly from Malaysia to Macau, with 28 flights weekly from LCCT, 7 more from Johor Bharu, 7 more from Kota Kinabalu and 3 from Kuching. There are also 28 flights weekly from Bangkok to Macau.

Another 28 flights to Shenzhen, with 14 flights from LCCT and 7 more from each of Bangkok and Kota Kinabalu.

That's really lots of connections. It has definitely brought closer the business and tourism industry between Southern China and Malaysia.

I salute you, Tony!

And in the papers, after we have heard of Air Asia, Air Asia X, Tune Money, Tune Hotel, there have been announcement of Tune Talk and also this week on Tune Stores. Tune Stores are expected to open in Kota Kinabalu with a departmental store. This would again bring forward Tune's brand to everyone within Malaysia, and soon within Asia.

As we are talking now, 20 Tune Hotels are being under development and soon, it would become yet another Air Asia, where it is a huge chain of hotels around Asean. Soon, flying with Air Asia and staying at Tune Hotel would be a reality!