Airlines

Flights to US West Coast 'not too far away' AirAsia CEO says

Key Points
  • Asian low-cost carrier already flies to Hawaii
  • Working on share-listing structure
Now's the best time for me in airline business: Tony Fernandes
VIDEO2:5602:56
Now's the best time for me in airline business: Tony Fernandes

The long-haul arm of Malaysian low cost carrier AirAsia could introduce flights to the West Coast of the United States "not too far away" from now, the airline's chief executive Tony Fernandes told CNBC on Thursday.

Fernandes, speaking at the sidelines of the World Economic Forum's ASEAN meeting in Cambodia, was responding to CNBC's question on whether flights to the U.S. West Coast is in the carrier's expansion plans.

"Absolutely, I had a fantastic trip to Los Angeles and I would imagine that's not too far away as well," he said.

AirAsia X, the airline's long haul unit, currently flies to 24 destinations primarily in the Asia-Pacific region. Outside of the region, the carrier flies to the Middle East and Hawaii in the U.S.

Fernandes said other than expanding its network, the company is working on listing its Indonesian and Philippine businesses. Following that, it would look into a secondary listing of its group in either another Southeast Asian country or Hong Kong.

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