AirAsia Group Bhd could launch its flying taxi services as early as 2022, according to company co-founder and CEO Tony Fernandes.
“We are working on that right now. I think we are about a year and a half away from launching,” Fernandes said at the Youth Economic Forum on March 6, The Economic Times reported.
Follow our LIVE Updates on the coronavirus pandemic here
Terming it an opportunity for “once-in-a-lifetime chance to recast business and re-look at things”, Fernandes said he expects e-hailing services to begin from April 2022. Giving details of the ride, he said the company hopes to have a four-seater flying taxi powered by a quadcopter.
Besides flying taxis, Fernandes also announced the airlines’ partnership with state-run Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre to “develop an urban drone delivery service”.
Despite the diversification, Fernandes said that he was “optimistic that air travel will soon rebound” on the back of worldwide vaccination programmes. Within Malaysia, he said, he “hopes interstate travel will start in the next two to three weeks”. He expects international travel to pick up in July or August 2021.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Malaysian air carrier has also been expanding into the digital space. It launched a “super app” providing passengers with financial, logistics and shopping services besides travel services, the report said.
Follow our full COVID-19 coverage here
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
