AirAsia X on verge of announcing Kuala Lumpur-Sydney service launch from Apr-2012: reports

AirAsia X is on the verge of announcing the launch of Kuala Lumpur-Sydney service, after four years of extensive lobbying (Sydney Morning Herald, 14-Jan-2012). CEO Azran Osman-Rani said the carrier is hopeful of the launching the services but will ensure all the ground work has been done before confirming the launch, expected in Apr-2012, ahead of Scoot. ''Hopefully everything will come together and we will be able to … [launch] it quickly,'' he said. Mr Osman-Rani will visit Sydney this week to meet executives from Sydney Airport with the carrier to also reportedly planning to commence ticket sales on the route in the current week. Mr Osman-Rani said the launch of Scoot has put pressure on Malaysian regulators to approve the launch. ''When it came to Sydney, the thing that made a bigger difference was Scoot's announcement [that it will begin daily services between Singapore and Sydney in the middle of this year],'' he said. Malaysia's Transport Minister Kong Cha Ha stated the Ministry has "no objection to AirAsia X (on KL-Sydney route) or any local airlines". Malaysia Airlines is the sole carrier on the sector, according to Innovata data, after Jetstar withdrew from the route in 2009 (The Star/StarBiz, 12/13-Jan-2012). [more - CAPA Analysis]