KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIAN long-haul budget carrier AirAsia X hopes to expand sales tenfold to US$1.0 billion (S$1.5 billion) by the end of 2010 despite the global slowdown, a report said on Monday.
Chief Executive Azran Osman Rani told the New Straits Times that the first goal would be to breach RM1.0 billion (S$422 million) in sales next year.
'The psychological test will be reaching the RM1.0 billion mark in 2009, barely two years into operations. But we will do it and target US$1.0 billion for the year after that,' he said.
The report said AirAsia X, which currently flies to Australia's Gold Coast, Perth and Melbourne, and Hangzhou in China, will end the year with about RM 362 million ringgit in sales.
But Mr Azran said that as it takes delivery of 25 Airbus A330-300 aircraft between now and 2013, it will expand to at least 30 destinations.
'Our model is to be the trunk that connects South-east Asia with key Asia Pacific markets such as Australia, China, India, Korea, Japan and the Middle East,' he told the daily.
He said AirAsia X is hoping to fly to five cities in Australia, four to five cities in China, three to four in India, one or two in Korea, and two or three in both Japan and the Middle East.
AirAsia X and South-east Asian affiliate AirAsia have sounded an extremely optimistic note in recent months, despite the uncertain global outlook and predictions of doom for airlines.
Earlier this month they scrapped fuel surcharges on all flights to drum up business, as founder Tony Fernandes said that falling oil prices enabled it to make travel more affordable.
'We (AirAsia) are very bullish and very optimistic,' he told the New Straits Times, chiding the Malaysian press for being 'negative' about the carrier's future.
'You are a depressing bunch, but I'm optimistic. My load factors are good, people want to travel... you have to be innovative,' he reportedly said. -- AFP
