Phim Hay 360s

VIENTIANE, Feb 21 (Bernama) -- Low-cost carrier AirAsia Bhd will introduce daily direct flight for its newly-launched Kuala Lumpur-Vientiane route by May this year from three flights per week currently, group chief executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandes said today.

He said response to the route has been "very good" since its soft launch on Dec 1 last year.

"December was a fantastic month, we had almost 90 percent of load factor and in January it was about 65 percent.

We are very confident of this route," he told reporters after the official launch of its latest route in the Asean region here.

The ceremony was officiated by Laos' Public Works and Transport Minister Sommat Pholsena and the Asssociation of South East Asian Nations (Asean) secretary-general Dr Surin Pitsuwan.

Fernandes said most of the passengers for the Kuala Lumpur-Vientiane were tourists while some were business travellers. According to him, Laos has a lot of attractive places, providing opportunities for growth.

He also hoped that the Laos government will extend the runway of Luang Prabang airport to enable the airline to offer the Kuala Lumpur-Luang Prabang route going forward.

He said the Luang Prabang runway was currently not long enough for bigger aircraft to land.

Vientiane, Laos' cultural and economic centre, is situated on the country's border with Thailand and is quickly establishing itself as a thriving tourist destination, receiving more than 700,000 visitors last year.



Meanwhile, Surin said AirAsia's Kuala Lumpur-Vientiane further connected Asean countries and enabled people to travel and explore the region with ease. He said the launch of AirAsia's new route was testament to the airline's goal of making travel accessible and a reality for all.

Earlier, Fernandes and AirAsia's chairman Datuk Pahamin Rajab personally greeted passengers of Flight AK 812 from Kuala Lumpur at the Wattay International Airport upon arrival at 10.40am (Vientiane time).

To date, AirAsia has carried over 46 million passengers under the most extensive low-cost network in the region with over 90 routes.

Managers of low-cost Malaysian airline AirAsia are satisfied with the number of passengers it has carried in over a month since it opened a new direct flight between Vientiane and Kuala Lumpur.

The airline's statio n manager in Vientiane , Mr Anolak Kingsada, said on Monday that the number of passengers travelling with the airline between the two cities had been large enough and steady since the airline began the flight in December.

He was speaking to Vientiane Times after the airline held a concert last week to celebrate its launch in Vientiane .

Mr Anolak said the number of passengers travelling with the airline ranged from 100 to 150 on each flight, below the full seat capacity of 180.

Most of the passengers are Malaysian business owners and tourists from Malaysia and other countries; only 20 percent are Lao, he said.

Mr Anolak said that the airline was planning to launch marketing campaigns to attract more passengers, especially those who want to travel to Singapore , Indonesia and the Philippines , and can get a connecting flight at KL airport.

He said the flight to Bangkok was more expensive than the Vientiane-Kuala Lumpur roundtrip, which cost from US$120 to US$170, depending on the day.

He also said the airline would invite Malaysian journalists to visit Laos next month to report on tourist sites in the country, as a way of encouraging Malaysian tourists to visit Laos and increase the number of passengers tra velling with the airline.

“There will be also an official launching ceremony of the airline's business in Laos ,” he said.

The decision of AirAsia to open the Vientiane-Kuala Lumpur route was the second attempt at improving transportation between Laos and Malaysia ; the first airline to run flights between the two countries, Malaysian Airlines, stopped operations in 1998 due to the Asian financial crisis, which hurt the tourism industry and discouraged investment in the region.

Director General of the Lao Aviation Department Yakua Lopangkao said the decision to resume flights from Kuala Lumpur to Vientiane had been due to the growing relations and cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the areas of tourism and business.

Malaysia is the ninth largest investor in Laos , with interests mainly in hotels and hydropower facilities, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

AirAsia operates three flights a week, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, with more planned for the future, possibly in the form of daily flights to meet the growing demands of tourists coming to Laos.

Local and international airlines operate direct flights from Laos to China , Cambodia , Vietnam , Thailand and Malaysia.

By Ekaphone Phouthonesy
Vientianetimes

(KPL) AirAsia launched an inauguration of new direct flight from Vientiane-Kuala Lumpur and Kuala Lumpur-Vientiane last Thursday in Vientiane.

The new flight was announced at a concert took place in Vientiane, where was crowded by Vientiane residents saw a recent popular singers from Indee Record.

The multi-award winning AirAsia has carried over 40 million passengers to date, grown from a 2-aircraft fleet to 62 today and now. The final ASEAN country has given the airline the approval to enter the city as part of the airline’s extensive route network-all within the grasp of six years in operation.

The airline is set to commence its inaugural flight into the capital of Laos on 1 December 2007, which started with three direct flights per week to Vientiane from low cost carrier Terminal, Kuala Lumpur using its Airbus aircraft.

Situated on the Mekong River, Vientiane is an unassuming city reachable within two hours and 35 minutes flight from Kuala Lumpur. Laos has a tropical climate with temperatures from May to October, Laos records higher raindrops than the rest of the year while enjoy the cool season from November to February.

For travelers who has been there, one of the best things they say to do once they have made their rounds around the temples and shopping in the local markets for silk, and enjoy the sunset over the Mekong river.

One of the famous landmarks of Vientiane is Pha That Luang, a must-see all historical enthusiasts which was constructed in 1566. Aside from the trials of temples, Vientiane has much to offer for the adventurous travelers. Within one to two hours from the city, one can indulge in a range of thrill-seeking activities such as kayaking, wild-water rafting, trekking through nature parks and many others.
Other city to visit while in Vientiane is Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage City situated in northern central of Laos. There are many notable sites to explore in this city including the Kuang Si waterfall, located south of Lung Prabang.

Setting aside a half-day or even one whole day for the waterfall is recommended to soak into this nature’s cascading wonder. One can also take a boat ride northwest of the city to visit the Buddha caves and whisky village, where one can see how a local Lao wine spirits are made.

AirAsia is the first low cost carrier established in Malaysia that has rapidly established itself as the leading and largest low cost carrier in Asia. The airline offers a simple “no frills” service at fares that are on overage significantly lower than those offered by tradition full-service airlines. Modeled after the successful low fare airlines such as the US-based Southwest Airlines and Dublin-based Ryanair.

The Regional Head of Commercial, AirAsia Kathleen Tan said, “There is a talent demand for this route to be established from the first day we started the airline, and now to see us launching direct flights to Vientiane is like a missing jigsaw puzzle to be fitted into the AirAsia chapter. We are now a truly ASEAN airline, covering all the 10 countries serving over 80 routes within the region.”

“We strongly believe that our amazing low fares will help stimulate travel in Laos and its surrounding areas especially tapping the backpacking travelers looking for an adventurous trail through Indochina and Thailand. We are also very happy to be able to serve the Malaysians working in Laos who have been very excited with our announcement. We trust our entry into Laos will further strengthen our position as the preferred airline of the region in enabling more people to fly,” added Kathlen.