AirAsia X secures Teleport as major customer

KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia X Bhd has secured full belly space utilisation for one-third of its A330300 fleet for one year.

The long-haul carrier said this would be taken up by Capital A Bhd’s logistics arm, Teleport, to fulfil robust customer requirements.

AirAsia X said this was the second major announcement for the newly restructured company as it sought to boost its regional presence as a viable long-term partner to some of the biggest global freight forwarders.

Chief executive officer (CEO) Benyamin Ismail said AirAsia X was in discussions with several global clients with air cargo requirements in areas the airline had established bases and flying rights.

“It is just two months post-restructuring and the appetite for the expansion of our cargo operations is significant. This dovetails neatly into one of the core pillars of our combination carrier strategy.

“Cargo revenue will underpin our route strategy, and passenger revenue for the first time will be ancillary,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Chief operating officer (COO) Captain Suresh Kumar Bangah said AirAsia X’s restructured lowcost base allowed it to fly profitably where other airlines might not be able to.

“We only fly if it is profitable. We intend to add one plane a month to full service from now and we hope to have our full fleet operational by the end of third quarter. As more aircraft are brought back into service, we are able to recall pilots and crew who have been through a tough period during this Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

Teleport CEO Pete Chareonwongsak said the company was on the right track to contribute to the logistical accessibility and growing demand of the region with its commitment to move things across Southeast Asia.

Teleport COO Adrian Loretz said in addition to its dedicated 737-800 freighter, the A330 aircraft from AirAsia X allowed it to provide more capacity to serve the demand in the region.

This year, he said Teleport was looking at strengthening its fleet and adding more prime destinations to its network.

FILE PIC AirAsia X Bhd says it is seeking to boost its regional presence as a viable long-term partner to some of the biggest global freight forwarders.