Airasia X mulls 'filling-up' MAS routes

AirAsia X Bhd will consider 'filling- up' the routes terminated by Malaysia Airlines (MAS) only if they are commercially viable, AirAsia acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Benyamin Ismail said.

"If they (Malaysia Airlines) are reducing it, it has to be due to commercial reason. We will look into it and if it makes sense for us, we will do it," he said when asked if AirAsia X would be interested in routes axed by MAS.

Identifying new routes was part of the long-haul low-cost airline's plan to return to profitability, he told reporters on the sidelines of the Global Airport Development 2015 conference, Thursday.

"This year is all about returning to profitability. We are introducing three new routes," he said, adding AirAsia X's biggest revenue generators were North Asia and Australia destinations.

On the refunds issue in Australia after the airline cancelled all its South Australian routes, Benyamin said all the refunds had been paid.

As for starting flights to Europe, he said the airline does not have the right aircraft for those destinations now but the Airbus A330neo that is coming in the next two years is capable of flying direct to London.

"So, I have told Tony (AirAsia Bhd group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes), wait for two years, then we will fly to London," he added.