AirAsia boosts Malaysia-China services amid visa-free entry

AirAsia is gearing up to increase services between Malaysia and China, in anticipation of a surge in travel demand.

This follows the Malaysian government’s announcement of a 30-day visa-free entry for travellers from China and India, starting 1 December 2023.

The low-cost airline plans to significantly increase services between the countries with 230 flights per week set to take off in Q1 2024.

Expansion of AirAsia services

The significant increase in capacity on AirAsia Malaysia (Airline Code: AK) and AirAsia X Malaysia (Airline Code: D7) represents up to 5.2 million seats per year.

This expansion coincides with the recent announcement of the easing of travel restrictions for Malaysians to China, from 1 December 2023.

Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes expressed gratitude to the Malaysian government for this initiative, stating that the 30-day visa-free entry will provide a welcome boost for Malaysia’s tourism and its economy.

“As a vital player in the aviation sector, we stand ready to add capacity to support the demand for affordable and accessible air travel in the region,” he said.

AirAsia’s role in regional connectivity

As the largest foreign low-cost carrier in China, both AirAsia Malaysia and AirAsia X Malaysia fly 17 routes into the country with a total of 156 flights weekly.

Recently, the China Embassy in Malaysia made an announcement regarding up to 15 days visa-free travel, which starts from 1 December 2023 and will last until 30 November 2024.

This applies to Malaysian citizens holding ordinary passports who enter China for various purposes including business, tourism, family visits, and transit.

Both airlines have also increased frequencies to nine routes into India with a total of 74 flights weekly.

Bo Lingam, AirAsia Aviation Group Limited Group CEO, sees this as an opportunity to enhance regional connectivity in two of their largest markets, and to act as a catalyst for significant economic growth.

With an estimated 4.6 million guests expected to travel on their extensive network of 26 routes in China and India in 2024 alone, the airline is ready to play a pivotal role in achieving Malaysia’s ambitious tourism targets of 25 million international tourists annually.