I-AirAsia X, inkampani yezinkampani ezishibhile i-AirAsia, imemezele ngesasasa elikhulu eLondon ukwethulwa kwenkonzo yamasonto onke kahlanu phakathi kweKuala Lumpur kanye nesikhumulo sezindiza saseLondon Stansted. Izindiza zizoqala ngoMashi 11 ngemali yokugibela isuka ephansi njenge-£99 (US$149) indlela eyodwa.
Isikhulu se-AirAsia u-Dato Tony Fernandes wabonakala ephatheke kabi lapho ekhuluma ngendiza entsha: “Bengihlale ngifisa ukuthi ngelinye ilanga ngikwazi ukunikeza izindiza ezingabizi eziya e-London, ngibe sengithatheka u-Freddie Laker kanye ne-Skybus yayo. Esabhekana nakho esikhathini esidlule njengo-SARS, ukuphikiswa yizinkampani zezindiza ezizimele noma ukukhuphuka kwamanani kaphethiloli kwakufanele ubuhlungu njengoba ekugcineni siphumelela ukufeza leli phupho: ukundiza ngendiza ebheke e-Europe, futhi ikakhulukazi eLondon,” usho kanje.
I-Airbus A340 izonikeza umthamo wabagibeli abangu-286 kuhlanganise nezihlalo ze-premium ezingu-30.
Uma sibheka ikusasa, isikhulu esiphezulu se-AirAsia sihlala sijabule. Ubikezela ukuthi umzila omusha ungase ube isevisi yesitimela "ngendiza ehamba njalo ngamahora amane kuya kwamahlanu. Kuzosisiza-ke ukuthi siqhubeke sinciphise imali yokugibela. Kungani kungenjalo ku-£49 (US$72) ngendlela eyodwa,” wengeza.
UTony Fernandes uzibophezele ekwenzeni i-AirAsia ibe wuphawu lomhlaba wonke. Ama-Airbus A330 angamashumi amabili nantathu ase-odeni futhi kungase kwengezwe amanye ama-Airbus A340 amabili.
Ukukhethwa kweLondon Stansted kwakusobala kuFernandes. “Asikhethanga iStansted kuphela ngoba sinezimo ezinhle zezimali ezizayo kodwa nangenxa yokuxhumana kwayo okuhle kakhulu njengoba ixhumene namadolobha angu-160 kulo lonke elaseYurophu,” esho. Njengoba i-Kuala Lumpur hub yayo inikezela ngezindiza eziya ezindaweni ezingama-86 e-Asia, ne-India ezofakwa maduze, i-Kuala Lumpur ingaba indawo elengayo e-Stansted njengesango elibiza kancane.
Ebuzwa ukuthi i-AirAsia ayivinjwanga yini ukwehluleka kwe-Oasis Hong Kong, uFernandes uphendule wathi: “I-Oasis ayizange inikeze noma yikuphi ukuxhumana ngale kwe-Hong Kong futhi ayinayo le nethiwekhi enkulu yokuxhumana ukuze iqhubeke nokusebenza kwayo. I-Oasis ayizange futhi ibe nesikhalo somhlaba wonke esithokozelwa yi-AirAsia namuhla njengophawu lomhlaba wonke. "
Ukubhukha umzila wase-London kuqale ngenyanga edlule.
LOKHO ONGAKUTHATHE KULESI SIHLOKO:
- With its Kuala Lumpur hub offering flights to 86 destinations in Asia, with India soon to be included, Kuala Lumpur can be the pendant to Stansted as a low-cost gateway.
- What we faced in the past such as SARS, opposition from monopoly airlines or fuel prices hike were worth the pain as we finally succeed to make this dream coming true.
- “We picked Stansted not only because we got good financial conditions to come but also because of its excellent connectivity as it is linked to 160 cities throughout Europe,” he said.
