Trade lauds AirAsia X's new KL-Jeddah flights

Malaysia's tour operators have welcomed AirAsia X's new Kuala Lumpur-Jeddah service, which will ease the sector's year-round seat crunch especially during the Middle East peak season between August 10 and September 10 this year.

Weekly seat capacity on the route will soar to 4,173 with the addition of 1,131 seats from February 16, when the thrice-weekly flight launches. Malaysia Airlines’ (MAS) and Saudia also ply the route five and six times weekly, respectively.

Andy Muniandy, director of sales and business development, Asian Overland Services Tours & Travel in Kuala Lumpur, said: “The new flights will bring more tourists to Malaysia as many seats on MAS are taken up by pilgrims returning from Mecca (accessed primarily via Jeddah). “AirAsia X’s competitive airfares also helps as Saudi Arabians usually travel with big families of six or more people.”

Mani Ponniah, manager of Explore the Wonders Wholesale Travel, remarked that AirAsia’s new service provides travellers with more price options and would grow Malaysia’s share of tourists from Saudi Arabia, in the face of aggressive competition from Thailand and Singapore. Malaysia’s arrivals from Saudi Arabia saw a 21.8 per cent year-on-year increase in the first nine months of 2012 – from 66,131 to 80,547.

While it is common for travellers to take a Gulf-based airline in Europe and transit in the Middle East to Kuala Lumpur, some European travel consultants are not biting. Valentin Ciofiac, manager, outgoing & ticketing department at Atlantic Tour Bucharest, said: “Airline delays are a risk when taking a connecting flight on AirAsia X to Kuala Lumpur as the carrier does not have any airline agreements. Travellers prefer to purchase a single ticket.”

Meerbusch-based Agentur fur Reisen Tourismus und Exklusivitat project assistant, Melanie Potthast, said the service would appeal to Germany’s budget travellers who wished to stop over in Saudi Arabia.

-TTG Asia.