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.
