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Chennai has emerged as the hub for AirAsia in India; the Asia's largest low-cost carrier plans to increase its frequency on the Chennai-Kuala Lumpur route, according to Mr Suresh Nair, Country Manager, AirAsia.
Currently, the airline operates seven flights a week from Chennai to Kuala Lumpur. This will be increased from May 7 to two flights a day to Kuala Lumpur — a city where a large number of Indian workers live.
With these new additions, AirAsia will now operate a total of 14 flights weekly from Chennai and over 100 weekly flights from India, he told Business Line .
Chennai has emerged as one of the best performing routes for the airlines due to its location advantage and being closer to Asian countries, he said.
“We have created a new market for ourselves with low fare. The average load factor was 75-80 per cent in all routes,” he said.
It costs Rs 3,948 (one way fare for travel next month) to Kuala Lumpur on AirAsia. Most other airlines charge twice as much.
Expansion
In 2010, AirAsia added 12 new routes to India from various Asian destinations, including Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.
Launched its operations in India in 2008, AirAsia has daily flights to Tiruchi (now twice daily). It also operates flights from Chennai (daily), Bangalore and Kochi in the South, Kolkata in East India and AirAsia X flights from Mumbai and Delhi.
Within eight years of operations, it has carried more than 100 million guests and grown its fleet from two aircrafts to around 102, Mr Nair said.
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