AirAsia welcomes the resumption of domestic travel

SEPANG, 8 June 2020 - AirAsia commends the Government’s efforts in curbing the spread of Covid-19 and welcomes the announcement of the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO), effective 10 June 2020 by Prime Minister of Malaysia YAB Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasin to revive Malaysia’s economy.  

In recent weeks, countries around the world are resuming domestic travel and gradually reopening international borders in recognition that air transport provides the connectivity that is essential for the resumption of economic activities. The formation and discussion of “travel bubbles” and “green lanes”  with key economic partners with a low infection rate and proven pandemic curbing systems, is a step in the right direction. The aviation and tourism sectors account for around 4% and 10% of world GDP, respectively. Over 65 million jobs are supported worldwide in the aviation sector, while 1 in 10 jobs around the world is contributed by the tourism sector. 

Air travel remains one of the safest modes of travel. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), evidence suggests that the risk of transmission on board is extremely low. Aircraft are equipped with features that will reduce the already-low risk of transmission onboard. Passengers are seated facing forward with the seatback serving as a solid barrier, while the cabin air is fully filtered and renewed every 2-3 minutes through the hospital-grade HEPA filters, ensuring clean cabin air. Coupled with a layered approach of biosafety measures covering the entire passenger journey, the risk of transmission onboard is further minimised. 

At AirAsia, the health and wellbeing of our passengers remain our paramount concern. Besides complying with the advice and regulations from government and health authorities, AirAsia has also implemented end-to-end contactless procedures and a series of new safety measures, as well as taking care of those most at risk to ensure the safety of all travelling guests.