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AirAsia will launch new route between Colombo and Kuala Lumpur on 15 August 2009, further expanding its already vast network in the region.

The new Colombo - Kuala Lumpur route will begin on 15 August 2009 with direct daily flights between the two capital cities. Promotional all-in fares are offered from as low as LKR4,090 (RM99) one-way. Booking for promotional seats ends 14 June 2009 for travel between 15 August 2009 and 30 April 2010. Promotional seats are limited and available on first-come, first-served basis.

Also, the airline is offering through GoHoliday a Buy 1 Night, Free 1 Night promotion at selected partner hotels – from budget to 5-star – in the Malaysian cities of Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Langkawi, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.

AirAsia Regional Head of Commercial, Kathleen Tan said, “Colombo is an important destination for AirAsia to break into the South Asian market. The low fares AirAsia is offering will create new demand and stimulate travel. AirAsia’s entry into Sri Lanka is good timing as the country enters a new era of peace. We are working closely with Sri Lanka Tourism to boost the market because low fares will allow more people to travel. We are very excited about Colombo – Kuala Lumpur because there is a strong pent-up demand for the route. There is also a strong social tie between Malaysia and Sri Lanka as there is a sizeable Malay community here, while some Ceylonese have called Malaysia their home. With AirAsia’s low fares, there is a very good reason for Sri Lankans to visit Malaysia and vice versa.”

AirAsia currently flies from Kuala Lumpur to two destinations in South Asia – Dhaka, Bangladesh that started in March 2009, and Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) in South India that commenced in December 2008. Colombo will thus be AirAsia’s third destination in South Asia.

“AirAsia has a strong domestic high frequency network that enables the people of Sri Lanka to connect to Malaysia and visit beautiful locations like Penang, Langkawi, Sabah, Sarawak and tap on our incredible network using Kuala Lumpur as a gateway to the many points served by AirAsia to destinations such as Bali, Phuket, Australia, London and many more. All with low fares!” concludes Kathleen.

AirAsia will be using new technologically advanced and fuel efficient 180-seater Airbus A320 aircraft. AirAsia aircraft are fitted with comfortable leather seats and wide aisles. The airline also offers a wide variety of hot meals onboard.

AirAsia held a media conference for the Sri Lankan media here today to announce the Colombo - Kuala Lumpur route. High Commissioner of Malaysia to Sri Lanka HE Rosli Ismail and Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism Bernard Goonetilleke were present as guests of honour.

Meanwhile, Mr Goonetilleke said, “AirAsia’s decision to fly to Colombo signifies its confidence in Sri Lanka as a tourism destination. The inclusion of Colombo in a successful and massive network of destinations signals an impending growth in local tourism. We expect the entry of this strong player in the field to translate into healthier earnings for our tourism and tourism-related industries.”

With excellent air connectivity between Colombo and Kuala Lumpur, mutual economic benefits can be expected as AirAsia’s low fares and innovative services will definitely stimulate more travel both inbound and outbound from these two destinations. The Sri Lankan public can also take advantage of Kuala Lumpur’s status as a gateway to get across Asia, Australia and Europe.

The Kuala Lumpur-Colombo route is part of AirAsia’s expansion plans for the year. While other airlines are cutting down operations amid financial difficulties in the current economic climate, AirAsia is expanding and registering growth. In the first quarter of 2009, AirAsia’s passenger volume grew by 21% year-on-year to 3.1 million.