AirAsia to move to Melbourne lower-cost airport Avalon
MELBOURNE, 31 May 2018 – AirAsia is gearing up to move its Victorian operations to Avalon Airport (Melbourne) from Tullamarine Airport in the fourth quarter of 2018.
The move to Melbourne’s fast growing western suburbs will provide Victorians with lower fares as well as a more streamlined and efficient airport experience.
This also signifies a new era for Victorians as the city prepares to launch its second international airport.
AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes said, “We are extremely excited by this fantastic opportunity. It has been a long time coming. Our move to Avalon will translate to lower fares for travellers, allowing more people to fly between Australia and Southeast Asia. We believe the time is now and momentum is building. More and more countries, including Australia, are beginning to realise the need for a dedicated low-cost airport. We would like to congratulate the Australian and Victorian governments for supporting low-cost travel and championing people.”
AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail said, “We expect to carry half a million visitors from and to Avalon Airport annually. We are confident this will provide a significant boost to the local economy, generate additional jobs locally, as well as lay the foundations for new business and trade opportunities for the region.”
Benyamin added: “We are currently working closely with Avalon, tourism partners in the region and other relevant authorities to ensure our infrastructure and facilities needs are being met to ensure a smooth transition later this year.”
Guests will benefit from a range of other ‘Avalon Advantages’ including cheaper parking, no Tullamarine freeway tolls, new airport infrastructure and a hassle-free arrival and departure process.
AirAsia will communicate directly to all guests flying to and from Avalon Airport with as much forward notice as possible once the commencement date is confirmed.
AirAsia encourages all its guests to ensure their email address and mobile number (with country code prefix) are updated in their member profile. This will ensure that we can contact you should we need to implement any changes to your booking.
AirAsia expects to confirm a date for Avalon operations in the coming months with travel commencing before year end.
As the first international carrier to fly to Avalon Airport, the twice-daily service operated by AirAsia’s long-haul affiliate, AirAsia X, will provide connections via its hub in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to more than 130 destinations across Southeast Asia, the Middle East and the US including Bali (Indonesia), Thailand, Japan, India, China, South Korea, Hawaii (United States) and many more.