KUALA LUMPUR: AIRASIA Bhd is looking to expand its air cargo business, which is expected to lift the company’s revenue.
“There is a lot of belly space not just on the Airbus A320 aircraft but also the A330s. This is one way for us to optimise our revenue, to be able to put cargo or courier products in that space,” its chief executive officer (CEO) Aireen Omar told NST Business recently.
Based on the airline’s huge network in the region, with more than 350 routes in over 80 destinations, Aireen said the cargo business would also complement the Digital Free Trade Zone (DFTZ).
“That is the whole idea of why we feel we can grow this business even bigger, especially with the establishment of DFTZ.”
Aireen is confident the airline will achieve stellar results this year because of various measures to strengthen its businesses.
AirAsia has embarked on several initiatives to expand its network and build its ancillary and adjacency businesses.
“With various joint ventures, we hope to launch these businesses next year, too,” she said.
Asean remains a huge market for the airline to continue its growth momentum.
“We have a strong base in Asean. We aim to fly to bigger markets outside Asean, like China, India, Japan, South Korea and Australia.”
She said there were many growth opportunities.
“We will be restructuring our organisation as we get bigger. We want to make sure the structures facilitate the growth. Hence, it will be easier for investors to value the company better, as we get bigger,” she added.