Friday, November 28, 2008

Malaysian carrier eyes European tourists with new flights

LONDON — European visitors are expected to flock to Southeast Asia next year as a low-cost airline starts flying from a London-based hub for European budget airlines to Kuala Lumpur in March.

But Philippine government regulations and limits to foreign ownership prevent budget carrier AirAsia X, an affiliate of Malaysia’s AirAsia Berhad, from hiking connecting flights between Kuala Lumpur and Clark, Pampanga, company officials said yesterday.

AirAsia X started accepting bookings on Tuesday for its new £99 ($153) direct flights between London Stansted and the Kuala Lumpur International Low-Cost Carrier Terminal.

The fare, £400 to £500 cheaper than ordinary tickets, excludes payments for meals on board and fees for check-in baggage, AirAsia said in a statement.

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