AirAsia already operates budget hotels and is now gearing up to sell local transport journeys on buses, ferries and trains to take advantage of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge as well as a high-speed train that is linking up the entire region.
The largest low-cost carrier in Asia, AirAsia may become the first foreign airline to benefit from the end of Air Macao’s quarter-century monopoly in the gambling hub and set up its base in Macao to serve Chinese travellers. AirAsia eyes Macao as a convenient hub for entering China that will allow airline to be within an easy reach of its Chinese clients while not actually located on the mainland.
The Chinese market can indeed make a juicy story for any airline with estimated 400 million trips the Chinese will make by 2030, more than a double increase compared to 145 million trips of 2017. While the Kuala Lumpur-based carrier's operations span the region, including Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, India and Japan, there is no AirAsia's base in China, though the airline does operate flights there since 2004.
Besides Macao, a low-cost unit of AirAsia is likely to appear in Vietnam any time soon.
AirAsia Eyes Setting Its Base in Macao
News in Asia
AirAsia considers setting up its base in Macao to get a better access to the Chinese market. Besides air transportation, the low-cost airline is going to offer tickets for ferries, trains and other modes of transport.