Latest news with #TassaponBijleveld
Malay Mail
09-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Thai AirAsia to cut China flights by 15pc, shifts focus to India amid weak demand
BANGKOK, May 9 — Thai AirAsia is considering reducing its flights from Thailand to China by at least 15 per cent as the Chinese market continues to underperform. The airline is also urging the Thai government to strengthen its tax refund incentives to help stimulate tourist spending, particularly during the low travel season. According to the Bangkok Post, Thai AirAsia and Thai AirAsia X are reviewing their services to 10 Chinese cities, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, and Shanghai, with a shift in focus towards high-growth markets such as India. 'Even though more Thai tourists are flocking to China after the permanent visa exemption started last year, the outbound flows cannot compensate for the absence of Chinese passengers,' said Tassapon Bijleveld, executive chairman of Asia Aviation, the largest shareholder of Thai AirAsia. He said the slowdown comes as Beijing discourages domestic consumption of luxury goods, a policy that has hurt spending patterns since last year. Tassapon said the Thai government should upgrade its tax refund programme to attract foreign tourists who still have spending power. He noted that Thailand's 7 per cent VAT is lower than countries like Japan, which offers a 10 per cent refund, and China, which provides up to 13 per cent back to foreign shoppers. 'Our country might lose some revenue from tax collection if we provide higher refund values to tourists, but the amount of money they spend would bring greater benefits to the overall economy — not just for luxury retailers, but for businesses across all sectors,' he said. He proposed a pilot programme for instant, on-the-spot tax refunds during the third-quarter low season to assess its impact before broader implementation. Thai AirAsia believes such measures are vital to revive the sector and align with calls from other business groups. Both the Association of Thai Travel Agents and the Thai Retailers Association have previously called for a more efficient tax refund system and increased incentives for international visitors.
BusinessToday
07-05-2025
- Business
- BusinessToday
Capital A To Expand Into Saudi Arabia With New Aviation And Logistics Ventures
Capital A Bhd today unveiled plans to expand its operations into Saudi Arabia as part of a broader Middle East growth strategy. The Group aims to introduce new AirAsia routes to Riyadh and Dammam, while also increasing flight frequencies to Jeddah from Kuala Lumpur. Additionally, it is exploring new connections from Bangkok and Jakarta to Riyadh, further enhancing connectivity between the ASEAN region and the Middle East. Beyond expanding its airline services, Capital A plans to introduce its entire business ecosystem to Saudi Arabia, including Teleport, its growing logistics arm, Asia Digital Engineering (ADE), which provides aircraft maintenance services, and AirAsia MOVE, a digital travel platform offering end-to-end travel booking solutions. The announcement follows high-level discussions between Capital A's leadership team, including CEO Tony Fernandes and Tassapon Bijleveld, CEO of AirAsia Thailand, and Saudi officials from the Ministry of Investment, General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), and the Ministry of Transport. These discussions focused on potential strategic partnerships in airline connectivity, Red Sea tourism development, and logistics and aircraft engineering services. Tony Fernandes commented on the opportunities in Saudi Arabia, saying, 'The cultural shift, the transformation in people's lives, and the scale of ambition is truly mind-blowing. The energy is infectious, and we're excited to grow with our brothers and sisters in Saudi Arabia.' He also highlighted the potential of the new Riyadh route, forecasting it to serve nearly one million two-way passengers by 2026 and over seven million by 2030, reflecting strong demand for connectivity between ASEAN and the Gulf region. As part of its logistics focus, Teleport plans to collaborate with Saudi logistics hubs and free trade zones to establish efficient cargo corridors, aiming to support Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 goals of becoming a global logistics hub. AirAsia's extensive belly cargo capacity will support this effort, helping to position the Kingdom as a transshipment point for goods moving between Asia, Europe, and Africa. Additionally, ADE aims to support the Kingdom's rapidly growing aircraft maintenance sector by potentially setting up line maintenance facilities at key airports, training local talent in aviation engineering, and sharing best practices in maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services. Saudi Arabia has now become a top priority market for Capital A, following its successful expansion into India and China. The Kingdom's Vision 2030 is transforming it into a global tourism and logistics hub, offering significant opportunities for Capital A's multi-vertical business model to contribute to this growth. Further updates on route launches, operational timelines, and ecosystem collaborations are expected to be announced in the near future. Related
New Straits Times
07-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Capital A expands into Saudi Arabia, new routes include Riyadh, Dammam
KUALA LUMPUR: Capital A Bhd is embarking on a strategic expansion into Saudi Arabia, starting with new flight routes and extending into logistics, digital travel services, and aircraft engineering. The group's Middle East growth initiative will commence with direct services to Riyadh and Dammam, along with increased flight frequencies on the Kuala Lumpur–Jeddah route. As part of its broader ambition to enhance connectivity between ASEAN and the Middle East, the low-cost carrier is also assessing potential new routes from Bangkok and Jakarta to Riyadh. Beyond aviation, the expansion will bring Capital A's key subsidiaries to Saudi Arabia, including its logistics arm Teleport, maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) provider Asia Digital Engineering (ADE), and its digital travel platform AirAsia MOVE. The announcement follows high-level meetings between Capital A leadership—led by CEO Tony Fernandes and AirAsia Thailand CEO Tassapon Bijleveld—and Saudi government representatives, including the Investment Ministry, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and the Transport Ministry. Discussions covered airline connectivity, Red Sea tourism initiatives, and potential partnerships in logistics and engineering services. Fernandes said Saudi Arabia's dynamic spirit and bold national vision align perfectly with Capital A's growth philosophy, making Saudi Arabia a natural partner for the group's next phase of regional expansion. "There's a real drive to build something big, especially the breathtaking Red Sea development, which I must say is one of the most ambitious tourism and infrastructure projects in the world. The scale of it is truly inspiring, and that energy is infectious," he said in a statement. He projected that the new Riyadh route alone could serve nearly one million two-way passengers by 2026, scaling to over seven million by 2030, highlighting strong regional travel demand. Teleport aims to tap into Saudi Arabia's logistics hubs and free trade zones to establish efficient cargo corridors between Asean and the Middle East. With AirAsia's extensive network and belly cargo capacity, the venture could support Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 goal of becoming a global logistics hub by facilitating the flow of goods between Asia, Europe and Africa. Meanwhile, ADE will explore opportunities to support the country's fast-growing aviation MRO sector, potentially establishing line maintenance facilities at key Saudi airports and helping train local talent in aircraft engineering.
New Straits Times
07-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Capital A charts bold epansion into Saudi Arabia to boost connectivity
KUALA LUMPUR: Capital A Bhd is embarking on a strategic expansion into Saudi Arabia, starting with new flight routes and extending into logistics, digital travel services, and aircraft engineering. The group's Middle East growth initiative will commence with direct services to Riyadh and Dammam, along with increased flight frequencies on the Kuala Lumpur–Jeddah route. As part of its broader ambition to enhance connectivity between ASEAN and the Middle East, the low-cost carrier is also assessing potential new routes from Bangkok and Jakarta to Riyadh. Beyond aviation, the expansion will bring Capital A's key subsidiaries to Saudi Arabia, including its logistics arm Teleport, maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) provider Asia Digital Engineering (ADE), and its digital travel platform AirAsia MOVE. The announcement follows high-level meetings between Capital A leadership—led by CEO Tony Fernandes and AirAsia Thailand CEO Tassapon Bijleveld—and Saudi government representatives, including the Investment Ministry, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and the Transport Ministry. Discussions covered airline connectivity, Red Sea tourism initiatives, and potential partnerships in logistics and engineering services. Fernandes said Saudi Arabia's dynamic spirit and bold national vision align perfectly with Capital A's growth philosophy, making Saudi Arabia a natural partner for the group's next phase of regional expansion. "There's a real drive to build something big, especially the breathtaking Red Sea development, which I must say is one of the most ambitious tourism and infrastructure projects in the world. The scale of it is truly inspiring, and that energy is infectious," he said in a statement. He projected that the new Riyadh route alone could serve nearly one million two-way passengers by 2026, scaling to over seven million by 2030, highlighting strong regional travel demand. Teleport aims to tap into Saudi Arabia's logistics hubs and free trade zones to establish efficient cargo corridors between Asean and the Middle East. With AirAsia's extensive network and belly cargo capacity, the venture could support Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 goal of becoming a global logistics hub by facilitating the flow of goods between Asia, Europe and Africa. Meanwhile, ADE will explore opportunities to support the country's fast-growing aviation MRO sector, potentially establishing line maintenance facilities at key Saudi airports and helping train local talent in aircraft engineering.
