And another new airline to Aus……….
A Sydney Morning Herald report says that Malaysian low-cost airline AirAsia X’s rather delayed plans to launch services to Australia seem on again.
After taking delivery of his first A330 yesterday, AirAsia X boss Azran Osman-Rani assured the media of his plans to start flying four flights a week to either Avalon, the Gold Coast or Newcastle by late October.
Of more interest is whether AirAsia X’s new 20 per cent owner, Sir Richard Branson, is looking to forge closer links between his airline interests and his new investment. There are already signs that Virgin Atlantic might offload some of its A340-600s to AirAsia, to allow the Malaysian low-cost airline to launch flights to the UK in 2008.
And given Toll is mulling over the possible sale of its 62.4 per cent interest in Virgin Blue by the end of the year, Xchange wonders if Sir Richard is considering forging closer links between AirAsia and Virgin Blue if he regains management control of the airline he founded in 2000.
Such suggestions that he is looking to splash some more money around the region were given currency by the appearance of a newspaper job ad last week placed by Virgin Management seeking an “investment manager” in its Sydney office.
Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
In Italy, the Meloni government congratulates itself for its tourism achievements
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive