Competition Takes Off in Asia’s Budget-Airline Market (Wall St Journal-USA)
July 29, 2011
Competition in Asia’s budget-airline market is heating up as rival carriers raise more money and launch services to take on Malaysia’s AirAsia Bhd., the undisputed heavyweight of low-cost flying in the region.
A decade ago, AirAsia was the upstart, bringing the no-frills airline model to Asia after it succeeded in Europe and the U.S. Although some doubted it would work in Asia, where many residents don’t earn enough to fly, AirAsia took off. Now Asia’s other carriers are fighting back more aggressively.