KUALA LUMPUR (March 23): AirAsia X Bhd (AAX) plans to introduce another three new routes in the second half of this year, according to its chief executive officer Benyamin Ismail.

Speaking to reporters at an event today to announce AirAsia Group's new global ambassador, Benyamin said destinations for these routes will be in China, Japan and India.

"New routes all (to be launched in) second half of the year, one China, one Japan, and one India. We haven't open to sales, so I can't tell you where. The others are just increased frequencies, Busan to daily for example," he said.

Meanwhile, on AAX's potential routes to US West Coast, Benyamin said it would only happen after the group's delivery of newer aircraft Airbus A330neo next year.

"We are getting out newer aircraft, tentatively next year, so once we get that, we hope to do US West Coast eventually, with one stop, like how we do to Hawaii. So with the bigger aircraft we will explore Los Angeles or (other) West Coast (areas), but still far, next year," he said.

Earlier at the event, AirAsia Group announced the appointment of Brazilian footballer Roberto Carlos as a new global brand ambassador, in addition to musician David Foster.

"No one embodies the dare-to-dream spirit like Roberto Carlos. From playing on streets of Garga and deciding to be a professional footballer at 12 to the amazing free kick against France and winning the World Cup, he has shown that when he wants something, he will see it through to the end. We couldn't be more proud to have such a fighter in our roster of world champion brand ambassadors," AirAsia Group CEO and AAX Co-Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said via a video clip at the event.

Carlos has represented Brazil at three FIFA World Cup tournaments, and was part of the team that won the 2002 World Cup hosted in South Korea and Japan.

At club level, playing for Real Madrid, Carlos has won four Spanish La Liga titles as well as the UEFA Champions League three times in 1998, 2000 and 2002.

AirAsia Group head of branding Rudy Khaw said ambassadors like Foster and Carlos could expand the group's branding reach to a different segment of customers.

"For us, we usually partner personalities [who] have similar traits as the group. If you look at our ambassadors, they are usually people who came from nothing but dare to dream and climbed to be world champion today. There are definitely a lot of things going on with Carlos onboard, and we will see how the relationship goes," he said when asked what is the tenure of this appointment.

As at 2pm, AAX dipped 2.5% or 1 sen to 39 sen with 16.29 million shares done.