KUALA LUMPUR (April 17): AirAsia Group Bhd is set to resume its scheduled domestic flights, starting with Malaysia on April 29.
This will be followed by Thailand and the Philippines on May 1, India on May 4, and Indonesia on May 7, subject to approval from authorities, it said in a statement today.
The resumption of services will first be for key selected domestic routes, it said, which will be increased gradually to include international destinations once the situation improves and governments lift borders and travel restrictions.
The flights are already open for booking via its website and mobile app. Further details on more routes and flight schedule will be announced in the coming weeks, it added.
“We are very pleased to be able to fly again and to serve our guests starting with domestic routes, and hope to resume full operations as soon as possible,” said AirAsia Group president (airlines) Bo Lingam.
“We have undertaken a thorough review of our guest handling procedures both on ground and onboard in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. We have been working closely with the airport authorities to ensure that all the relevant precautionary measures are in place to ensure a safe, pleasant and comfortable journey for everyone," he said.
The aircraft, which are fitted with hospital-standard High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, will also be sent for a thorough disinfection after each flight, the low-cost carrier said.
Guests, meanwhile, are advised to practise universally recommended protective precautionary measures, including wearing a mask, social distancing and observing high personal hygiene.
It also told guests to keep themselves updated via Travel Advisories issued by AirAsia on airasia.com and social media platforms, and to check their flight status for live updates given the ever-changing situation at this time.
AirAsia's share price, which has been battered since the pandemic outbreak, closed 6.5 sen or 9.03% higher at 78.5 sen today, giving it a market capitalisation of RM2.62 billion, after some 85.9 million shares were traded.
Year to date, the counter has fallen 54% from when it was trading at RM1.70 on Dec 31, 2019.