From the STAR
Malindo to fly KL-New Delhi route from Dec 30
by b.k. sidhu
PETALING JAYA: Malindo Air has got the nod to fly into New Delhi and Mumbai, destinations that low-cost airline AirAsia X gave up over a year ago.
The routes are currently only served by Malaysia Airlines and the entry of Malindo is likely to intensify competition and force airfares to fall.
India will be added to the Malindo network just nine months after the airline began operations in the country. It will also add Trichy, a southern point in India on Jan 3. It wil begin flying the KL-Delhi route on Dec 30 and KL-Mumbai on Feb 15. Malindo will use the slots given up by AAX for Dehli and Mumbai.
Malindo, which calls itself a hybrid airline, is a joint venture between Malaysia’s Nadi Sdn Bhd and Indonesia’s Lion Grup, which also owns Lion Air.
For starters, Malindo is offering a promotional all-inclusive one-way fare of RM599 each to Mumbai and Delhi. For Trichy the fare starts at RM399 one-way all-inclusive.
“The decision to start our services to these long-awaited new routes emphasises the value and importance of tourism, trade and business links between India and Malaysia,” Malindo chief executive officer Chandran Rama Muthy said.
Malindo has begun ticket sales and is said to have received numerous bookings for the flights to India.
Though it is targeting passengers from Malaysia, the airline is a vital link for Indonesia’s Lion Air gateway into that part of the world.