No rise in AirAsia fuel surcharge for now

SEPANG: AirAsia will not raise its fuel surcharge despite the rise in world crude oil prices, which topped US$99 (RM335) a barrel Wednesday.

“No, not at the moment. One must build a sustainable business, at whatever the cost of oil is,” AirAsia Bhd founder and group chief executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandes told reporters at the AirAsia Academy after two signing ceremonies.

He added that heavier planes required more fuel, “but it’s not fair to put a fuel surcharge on someone who’s not carrying a bag, as opposed to someone who’s carrying six bags.
“We like to investigate different ways of doing different things,” he said.

Earlier, AirAsia signed an agreement with Aviation Australia to have its existing technicians trained in aircraft maintenance, fulfilling the requirements by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

AirAsia X, the group's long-haul budget carrier, also signed a five-year agreement with Tourism Queensland to promote Gold Coast, Australia.

AirAsia X chief executive officer Azran Osman Rani said currently there were four flights a week to Gold Coast. Its first flight there was on Nov 2.

“We plan to increase it to a flight a day, as more aircraft become available,” Azran said.
Also present at the event was Australian Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle, Tourism Queensland chairman Don Morris, and Aviation Australia chief executive officer Paul Bredereck.

Source: The Star