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The Herald Scotland
15-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Airline launches new route from Scotland to grand duchy
Edinburgh to Luxembourg flights are scheduled twice weekly on Friday and Monday. Listed flights which take one hour and 50 minutes start at €108 from July 3, 2026. Flights are listed. (Image: Getty Images) Thomas Fischer, Luxair chief commercial officer, told The Herald: 'We're delighted to launch direct flights between Luxembourg and [[Edinburgh]], a route we've been planning for some time as part of our growth strategy. 'With the upcoming arrival of our new Embraer E2 aircraft, we are now in a position to expand our network and respond to strong customer demand. 'This new connection not only strengthens business ties between Luxembourg and Scotland but also fosters tourism and cultural exchange. We look forward to welcoming passengers on board as of summer 2026.' The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is one of the wealthiest nations in the world. Visit Luxembourg said: 'Discover the enchanting allure of Luxembourg, a European destination where medieval charm meets contemporary sophistication. Travellers love exploring the unique blend of historic fortresses, lush landscapes, and cosmopolitan elegance, all found in close proximity. 'From Guttland, the garden of the capital city, to the red landscapes of the industrial Minett in the south, the wild Éislek with its rugged hills, to the rocky cliffs and forests of the Mullerthal and the leafy green of the Moselle valley vineyards, Luxembourg has plenty of variety.' READ MORE: The tourist body said: 'Many visitors begin their stay in the capital where world-famous artists rub shoulders with newcomers, and old fortress walls meet modern architecture. 'Here you will find a place pulsing with energy where people exchange ideas and stories, and culture, nightlife, business and relaxation collide. City break fans are drawn to this cosmopolitan capital, but also to other towns in the country to which they can travel free of charge on Luxembourg's nationwide public transport.' A grand duchy is a country with a duke or duchess as head of state. Luxair also said on its website: 'Edinburgh effortlessly balances its weighty history with contemporary energy. The Royal Mile's weathered cobbles lead past medieval closes and modern whisky bars, while the shopfronts of Princes Street mirror the jagged skyline of the Old Town. 'By day, you can hike up Arthur's Seat for panoramas that stretch to the Firth of Forth; by evening, join the animated crowds at the [[Edinburgh]] Festival Fringe or browse the shelves of independent bookshops. Scotland's compact, hilly capital is a city where every alley holds a story waiting to be uncovered.'
Irish Daily Mirror
08-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
KLM announce third daily service to Amsterdam from Cork Airport this winter
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines announced that it will expand its operations at Cork Airport by adding a third-daily service to Amsterdam Schiphol this winter. The third-daily service will start on October 26, 2025, as part of the winter schedule. With a presence at Cork Airport since 2020, KLM has grown from strength to strength and currently operates a twice-daily service to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. KLM had already increased its capacity on its Cork – Amsterdam service since spring this year, by using larger Embraer E2 aircraft on the route. The news of the additional daily frequency will also come as a further boost for inbound tourism. The Netherlands is the island of Ireland's seventh-largest source market and ninth-largest source of overseas revenue. Tourism Ireland research states that the South-West of Ireland is the most popular region for Dutch tourists and holidaymakers to visit, outside of Dublin. KLM also brings visitors from further afield thanks to its Amsterdam hub. Announcing the KLM third-daily service between Cork and Amsterdam Schiphol, Jerome Salemi, General Manager of Air France-KLM, said: 'The increase to three daily KLM flights between Cork and Amsterdam highlights once again our commitment to the Munster Region and the South-West of Ireland. 'This complements our recent announcement of the year-round Air France services between Cork Airport and Paris Charles-de-Gaulle.' 'Hubs are incredibly important for regional airports, providing essential long-haul connectivity,' Tara Finn, Head of Aviation Business Development and Communications at Cork Airport said, welcoming the announcement of the third-daily KLM service. '32,330 more seats to Amsterdam will boost inbound tourism and provide more business and leisure connection options out of Cork. We are delighted with this expansion by KLM and look forward to further growth opportunities with the Air France-KLM group.'
New Straits Times
04-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
AirAsia eyes 150 jets in major new aircraft order by next month: Tony Fernandes
KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia Bhd is in talks with aircraft manufacturers for a major new aircraft order of up to 150 aircraft, said Capital A Bhd chief executive officer (CEO) Tan Sri Tony Fernandes. Fernandes described the upcoming order as the final piece in the airline group's 15-year fleet strategy. He said the order will be finalised by next month and although he did not specify the aircraft model under consideration, he said that the discussions are ongoing with several aircraft manufacturers, including Embraer and Airbus. "We are looking at it very aggressively. I hope to make an announcement in the next month. There are two contenders for that aircraft order, and that would complete our network strategy," Fernandes said during a media briefing yesterday. In December 2024, he told the media that AirAsia was in talks with Airbus, Embraer and the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd (COMAC) as the budget carrier plans to expand its fleet. AirAsia Aviation Group Ltd (AAGL) deputy CEO Farouk Kamal told Business Times in a separate interview recently that both the A220 and the Embraer E2 aircraft, with capacities of 130 to 160 seats, are under evaluation for deployment on thinner routes and new point-to-point services. AAGL CEO Bo Lingam also said in the interview that the addition of smaller narrowbody aircraft with longer range capabilities would enhance the group's fleet mix and open up opportunities across the region such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia or even Kota Kinabalu. In May this year, Airbus Asia Pacific president Anand Stanley said the aircraft manufacturer is eyeing Malaysia as a key market for its A220 aircraft given the country's position as a regional aviation hub and its growing demand for efficient, next generation aircraft that are capable to fly both the short-haul and long-haul routes. Yesterday AirAsia announced an order for 50 A321XLR (extra long-range aircraft) worth RM51.7 billion (US$12.25 billion) with conversion rights for 20 more of the same aircraft type. Fernandes signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the aircraft order with Airbus Commercial Aircraft CEO, Christian Scherer yesterday in Paris. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Speaking on the future of AirAsia's outstanding A330neo (new engine option) order, Fernandes said the airline is currently discussing with Airbus on the matter. "We'll have to wait and see. We're now discussing. There is another order we are working on with two aircraft manufacturers for up to 150 aircraft. We think we will know that in the next month." "This is a very long process but we have to get it right. At that point, we would complete our strategy and we would know our direction on the A330," he added. Fernandes said there have been no cancellations to the A330neo order at this point, although the direction will be clearer once the new aircraft order plan is finalised. He added that the airline group's immediate focus is to restore its entire 255 fleet back into operation after the post-pandemic downturn. He expects all aircraft to be back flying by August this year. "My number one priority is to get all our planes back. We had a very good discussion with our OEM (original equipment manufacturer) in getting the right engines and supplies back," he said. Fernandes added that AirAsia has also been optimising its network. One recent example was replacing the A330 on the Kuala Lumpur-Perth route with the more efficient A321neo, aligning with group's narrowbody fleet strategy. "We are now confident to take that next stage in regrowing AirAsia," he said, adding that the airline's recent order of 50 A321XLRs as a signal that AirAsia is now in a position to grow. In addition to operational recovery, Capital A is also finalising a corporate restructuring that involves the sale of its aviation businesses – AirAsia and AAGL to AirAsia X for RM6.8 billion. As part of the deal, Capital A will receive RM3 billion worth of AirAsia X shares, while the latter will assume RM3.83 billion in debt belonging to Capital A. The sale will see all short-haul operations under AirAsia to be housed under AirAsia X and the consolidated company will be rebranded as AirAsia Group. Fernandes said the sale of the aviation businesses is key to Capital A's plan to exit Bursa Malaysia's Practice Note 17 (PN17) status. "The first bit of the most important part on this conversation is creating AirAsia group, and that's the disposal of AirAsia Group from Capital A…Once we dispose of aviation, then Capital A is virtually out of PN17, just some administrative issues and court issues," he said. Fernandes said Capital A has secured most of the required consent letters that it needed from its creditors and the RM1 billion of equity. The remaining hurdle is approval from Thai Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which he hopes to resubmit for in the coming weeks. Capital A needs the green light from the Thai SEC on the proposed disposal of AAGL. AAGL operates passenger airline services through subsidiaries in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Cambodia. Once the sale has gone through, the rebranded AirAsia Group will continue to be listed on Bursa Malaysia while Capital A will focus on six of its non-aviation businesses. The businesses include its engineering arm, Asia Digital Engineering, logistics unit Teleport, travel platform AirAsia MOVE, e-wallet BigPay, in-flight food brand Santan, and branding unit ABC. Fernandes said the six subsidiaries would be looking for a dual listing, potentially in Hong Kong. "Capital A is very much looking at a dual listing and raising capital independently. AirAsia Group will be a Malaysian listed company," he said.
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Business Standard
18-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
AirAsia seeks jets for growth but restructuring first priority: CEO
Airline entrepreneur Tony Fernandes, CEO of AirAsia owner Capital A Group, said on Wednesday he is in talks to buy 50 to 70 Airbus A321XLR jetliners, but signalled the first priority was to complete the group's restructuring. Asia's largest low-cost carrier also remains in talks to buy 100 smaller Airbus A220 or Embraer E2 regional jets but Fernandes, a veteran of eye-catching order announcements, all but ruled out an expected deal at this week's Paris Airshow. "I don't think there'll be an order at this air show. Were still doing a lot of work with Airbus and other (manufacturers).... I think we'll look to do something imminently, in the next 1-3 months," Fernandes told Reuters in an interview. "We want to make sure we clear out of our restructuring. The great thing is, we're back in the growth stage." The Malaysia-based low-cost carrier operates an all-Airbus fleet and is one of Airbus' biggest customers, having staged a series of dramatic air show finales after last-minute talks. The comments came after industry sources said AirAsia was in advanced discussions to place an order for at least 100 Airbus A220 regional jets at the Paris Airshow, with rival Embraer also vying for a chance to win a major breakthrough for its E2 jet. Two industry sources said Airbus had made an "aggressive" offer to boost orders for its A220 and win a launch customer for a new 160-seat version, or kickstart a larger version still on the drawing board, but that barring any further twist in negotiations on Wednesday the talks had stalled partly over financing. "There is no deal," one of the sources said. One of Airbus' biggest customers with over 350 planes on order, AirAsia has not placed an order since the pandemic, but ended a gap in deliveries by taking four Airbus jets last August, marking what it described as a new growth milestone. It has been steadily restructuring its order book as it faced financial difficulties after a slump during COVID-19. The company, hard hit by pandemic travel restrictions, was classified by Malaysia's stock exchange as financially distressed in 2022. It says it hopes to exit this so-called PN17 status by the middle of this year as it pursues a recovery. NETWORK EFFECT Capital A plans to sell its AirAsia aviation business to long-haul unit AirAsia X to consolidate long and short-haul operations under a single AirAsia brand. The group also needs consent letters from creditors, of which it has "virtually all of them," Thai Stock Exchange approval, and to raise new capital. "I am hoping we can wrap up this process in June and complete everything by the end of July .... We are getting closer to my liberation day, not Donald Trump's liberation day," Fernandes said in a play on the nickname for US tariffs. He said new investors had been "locked in," but declined to provide specific details ahead of any formal announcement. Bloomberg reported in March that the Saudi Public Investment Fund was set to invest in AirAsia. "We never confirmed (PIF) or not, but we have all our capital locked in and as soon as we get the consent letters and the Thai Stock Exchange we will announce who the new capital is," Fernandes said. AirAsia has led a boom in low-cost carriers in the region in the past two decades as incomes rose. Such carriers offer bargain fares by driving costs as low as possible, with large fleets of one aircraft type driving efficiencies of scale. Fernandes said the airline was ready to tweak that approach by picking smaller planes in a different category. What does the network need? It needs lots of frequency and it needs the ability to go to more destinations. Fernandes said he is still in discussions with China's COMAC about a potential order for its C919 narrowbody aircraft, though trade tensions between China and the US - which sources say has suspended engine deliveries - remain a possible obstacle. We received an offer from COMAC. The geopolitics don't help ... we need to be confident that that's going to be OK, but it's a good aircraft and well certainly look at it.
The Star
18-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
AirAsia owner seeks jets for growth but restructuring first priority, CEO says
Capital A chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes. PARIS: The CEO of Capital A Group, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, said on Wednesday the owner of AirAsia is in talks to buy 50 to 70 Airbus A321XLR jets in coming months, but that the first priority is to complete the group's restructuring. Asia's largest low-cost carrier also remains in talks to buy 100 Airbus A220 or Embraer E2 regional jets but there is unlikely to be any announcement on plane orders at this week's Paris Airshow, he told Reuters in an interview. "I don't think there'll be an order at this air show. We're still doing a lot of work with Airbus and other (manufacturers).... I think we'll look to do something imminently, in the next 1-3 months," Fernandes said. "We want to make sure we clear out of our restructuring. The great thing is, we're back in the growth stage." The Malaysia-based low-cost carrier operates an all-Airbus fleet and is one of Airbus' biggest customers. The comments came after industry sources said AirAsia was in advanced discussions to place an order for at least 100 Airbus A220 regional jets at the Paris Airshow, with rival Embraer also vying for a chance to penetrate the all-Airbus carrier. AirAsia has also had an offer from China's COMAC, Fernandes said. AirAsia has previously said it was looking to add smaller planes for regional routes. One of Airbus' biggest customers with over 350 planes on order, AirAsia has not placed an order since before the pandemic, but ended a gap in deliveries by taking four Airbus jets last August, marking what it described as a new growth milestone. It has been steadily restructuring its order book as it faced financial difficulties. The company, hard hit by pandemic travel restrictions, was classified by Malaysia's stock exchange as financially distressed in 2022. It says it hopes to exit this so-called PN17 status by the middle of this year as it pursues a recovery. Capital A plans to sell its AirAsia aviation business to long-haul unit AirAsia X to consolidate long and short-haul operations under a single AirAsia brand. The group also needs consent letters from creditors, of which it has "virtually all of them," a Thai approval and to raise new capital. "I am hoping we can wrap up this process in June and complete everything by the end of July. We are getting closer and closer," Fernandes said. Fernandes said new investors had been "locked in," but declined to provide specific details ahead of any formal announcement. - Reuters
