Senai Airport (Johor Bahru) expands international links via Airasia
Senai International Airport in the southern Malaysian state of Johor is poised for more rapid growth as AirAsia expands its Senai base. Senai was the fastest-growing of Malaysia’s eight largest airports in 2015, recording 11% passenger growth while the overall market expanded by less than 1%.
AirAsia is set to launch new flights from the Senai International Airport (LTAS) to Guangzhou, China and the Philippines in a bid to further strengthen its position in the southern hub of Johor.
AirAsia Bhd Chief Executive Officer Aireen Omar said the flights were in the final stages of planning and an announcement will be made in the near future.
“We plan to announce the direct flight from Johor Baharu to Guangzhou this month, while that to the Philippines is still being finalised,” she added.
Aireen told reporters this in Kulai after welcoming the inaugural AirAsia flight from Hatyai, Thailand to the LTAS.
AirAsia launched services from Johor to Hat Yai at the beginning of Apr-2016 and is launching services from Johor to Guangzhou in May-2016. The new routes expand AirAsia’s international operation at Senai to seven routes and are part of an overall initiative by the LCC group to expand its secondary hubs, with more point-to-point links.
Malindo Air is also pursuing expansion at Johor in May-2016 by resuming services from Johor to Kuala Lumpur International, a route it briefly served in late 2013. Malaysia’s other main airline group, Malaysia Airlines, is considering possible new point-to-point routes from Johor following the recent opening of a crew base at Senai.
The AirAsia Group is the market leader in Johor by a wider margin. The group currently operates all six of the regular scheduled international routes at Senai and also has seven domestic routes. AirAsia currently accounts for approximately a 69% share of total seat capacity at Senai (includes flights operated by its Indonesian and Thai affiliates).
AirAsia only faces competition on one of its Senai routes – to Kuala Lumpur International Airport – which is also served by Malaysia Airlines, and soon to be by Malindo Airways. Malindo currently links Senai with Kuala Lumpur Subang Airport and Ipoh using ATR 72 turboprops. The Malaysia Airlines turboprop subsidiary Firefly competes against Malindo in both these niche routes and also operates from Senai to Kota Bahru.
AirAsia began serving Senai in 2003, which was also the year the airport was privatised. AirAsia launched its first international service from Senai – to Bangkok – in early 2004. Bangkok was suspended in 2005, relaunched in 2008, suspended again in 2009 and relaunched for the second time in Jul-2015. The third time Bangkok has proven successful, an indication that the Johor market has matured and grown.
The decision to resume Bangkok came after the successful 2014 launch of Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam and Bandung and Yogyakarta in Indonesia. Ho Chi Minh is now served daily following an increase, in Oct-2015, from an initial four weekly flights. Bangkok and Yogyakarta are still served with four weekly flights while Bandung is served with three weekly flights.
Surabaya, which was initially launched in 2012, is now served daily (via Airasia Indonesia). Hat Yai (via Airasia Thailand) was launched on 1-Apr-2016 as a daily service, giving AirAsia six international routes from Senai.
AirAsia is set to launch new flights from the Senai International Airport (LTAS) to Guangzhou, China and the Philippines in a bid to further strengthen its position in the southern hub of Johor.
AirAsia Bhd Chief Executive Officer Aireen Omar said the flights were in the final stages of planning and an announcement will be made in the near future.
“We plan to announce the direct flight from Johor Baharu to Guangzhou this month, while that to the Philippines is still being finalised,” she added.
Aireen told reporters this in Kulai after welcoming the inaugural AirAsia flight from Hatyai, Thailand to the LTAS.
Malindo Air is also pursuing expansion at Johor in May-2016 by resuming services from Johor to Kuala Lumpur International, a route it briefly served in late 2013. Malaysia’s other main airline group, Malaysia Airlines, is considering possible new point-to-point routes from Johor following the recent opening of a crew base at Senai.
The AirAsia Group is the market leader in Johor by a wider margin. The group currently operates all six of the regular scheduled international routes at Senai and also has seven domestic routes. AirAsia currently accounts for approximately a 69% share of total seat capacity at Senai (includes flights operated by its Indonesian and Thai affiliates).
AirAsia only faces competition on one of its Senai routes – to Kuala Lumpur International Airport – which is also served by Malaysia Airlines, and soon to be by Malindo Airways. Malindo currently links Senai with Kuala Lumpur Subang Airport and Ipoh using ATR 72 turboprops. The Malaysia Airlines turboprop subsidiary Firefly competes against Malindo in both these niche routes and also operates from Senai to Kota Bahru.
AirAsia began serving Senai in 2003, which was also the year the airport was privatised. AirAsia launched its first international service from Senai – to Bangkok – in early 2004. Bangkok was suspended in 2005, relaunched in 2008, suspended again in 2009 and relaunched for the second time in Jul-2015. The third time Bangkok has proven successful, an indication that the Johor market has matured and grown.
The decision to resume Bangkok came after the successful 2014 launch of Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam and Bandung and Yogyakarta in Indonesia. Ho Chi Minh is now served daily following an increase, in Oct-2015, from an initial four weekly flights. Bangkok and Yogyakarta are still served with four weekly flights while Bandung is served with three weekly flights.
Surabaya, which was initially launched in 2012, is now served daily (via Airasia Indonesia). Hat Yai (via Airasia Thailand) was launched on 1-Apr-2016 as a daily service, giving AirAsia six international routes from Senai.