The low-cost carrier is currently in a negotiating table with the Dubai authorities to mount scheduled flights between UAE's most cosmopolitan city and the Southeast Asia region.
The airline's founder and CEO, Tony Fernandes, is mulling to open a direct service between the Gulf and Southeast Asia to expand its network to progressively cover the whole of Asia. Currently, the AirAsia group has covered mostly the East, South, and Southeast Asia regions with over 120 destinations.
The group has grown into nine independent airlines including its seven affiliates and long-haul brand, namely, AirAsia (mother unit), AirAsia X, Indonesia AirAsia, AirAsia Zest, Philippines AirAsia, Thai AirAsia, Thai AirAsia X, AirAsia India, and AirAsia Japan.
The airline CEO has been wanting to expand its network to the Middle East by opening up direct routes.
He said he will supplement the economy of Dubai by expanding the operation of his AirAsia empire to the Gulf region. Currently, no budget airline has operated a route between Dubai and mainland Southeast Asia.
He has observed that there is no other low-cost carrier operating in the Gulf region except for Flydubai. Flydubai operates from its base in Dubai airport with extensive route network across the region and beyond which includes South Asia, North and East Africa, as well as Eastern Europe.
He clarified, however, that he's not looking to set up a local subsidiary in the Gulf for the time being. But he was open to the idea of doing so in the future.
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