FAX - Fly Asian Xpress - to open for Sale ahead of Schedule

FAX (Fly Asian Xpress), the new airline appointed to manage and operate turbo prop operations for Malaysian domestic rationalisation, opened for sale on June 12th, 7 weeks in advance of schedule, and 2 weeks ahead of the 1st July target set by FAX. The Malaysian Government earlier fixed August 1st as the deadline for domestic rationalisation to be completed and those were the dates that FAX was working towards and not any earlier dates.

The airline has unveiled the new enhanced flight schedule and destinations commencing 1st August 2006. The following is a breakdown of routes and frequencies to be operated by FAX’s turbo prop operations beginning 1st August:

Flights operated by Fokker 50s / upgraded to AirAsia’s Boeing 737 operations:

Kota Kinabalu – Lahad Datu 35 times per week 
Kota Kinabalu – Miri 14 times per week 
* (upgraded and transfer to Boeing 737s) 
Kota Kinabalu – Bintulu 14 times per week 
Kota Kinabalu - Sibu 14 times per week 
Kota Kinabalu – Mulu 3 times per week 
Kota Kinabalu – Sandakan 14 times per week 
Sandakan – Tawau 14 times per week 
Kuching - Bintulu 14 times per week* 
(upgraded and transfer to Boeing 737s) 
Sibu - Bintulu 21 times per week 
Sibu - Miri 14 times per week 
Bintulu - Miri 28 times per week 
Miri - Mulu 14 times per week 
Miri - Limbang 21 times per week 
Labuan – Miri 21 times per week

Flights operated by Twin Otters

Miri – Marudi 26 times per week 
Miri - Lawas 32 times per week 
Miri - Limbang 3 times per week 
Miri - Bario 8 times per week 
Miri - Mukah 10 times per week 
Miri – Long Banga 1 time per week 
Miri – Long Akah 1 time per week 
Miri – Long Seridan 1 time per week 
Mukah - Kuching 10 times per week 
Mukah - Sibu 6 times per week 
Mukah - Bintulu 2 times per week 
Marudi - Bario 6 times per week 
Marudi – Long Banga 1 time per week 
Marudi Long Lellang 2 times per week 
Marudi – Long Seridan 1 time per week 
Marudi – Long Akah 1 time per week 
Tawau - Tarakan 2 times per week 
Kota Kinabalu- Kudat 2 times per week 
Kudat – Sandakan 4 times per week 
Sandakan – Tawau 2 times per week 
Sandakan – Tomanggong 2 times per week 
Lawas – Bakalalan 3 times per week 
Lawas – Limbang 3 times per week 
Bintulu – Belaga 2 times per week 
Bario – Bakalalan 2 times per week

FAX plans to expand the marketability of its new operations to attract more international appeal. Sales and distribution at all existing outlets will be enhanced to enable more avenues for people to book their flights. FAX will make available flights bookings on its website at www.flyasianxpress.com from June 12th. FAX has also enlisted the assistance of AirAsia to enable flight bookings at all its existing distribution channels including, AirAsia Call Centres at 1 300 88 99 33 or 03 8660 4343, airport sales counters and sales offices nationwide.

As an added incentive, FAX will also make available booking to travel agents with access to Galileo's GDS Platform. Galileo is a leading global distribution system (GDS), and subsidiary of Cendant Travel Distribution Services (TDS) which covers a network of more than 50,000 agents worldwide.

Mohamad Zahari, General Manager, FAX (Fly Asian Xpress) said, “Our goal is to build on the very successful turbo prop services built by MAS by having a dedicated turbo prop operations which will be focussed. By being focussed we will be able to reduce losses borne by the taxpayer, provide more frequency and move towards more international connectivity connecting the Biem Ega area by having the first Biem Ega airline thus further enhancing tourism and business.”

In the interim, FAX is working out a temporary arrangement to open for manual booking for travel agents, on a first come first served basis. All booking requests should be submitted to groupbooking@airasia.com . A temporary helpdesk has also been set up at +6 03 8660 4399, working hours from Mon – Fri from 9 am – 6 pm, and Saturdays from 9 am – 2 pm, to assist with enquiries.

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