AirAsia launches connecting flights to Shanghai-Pudong from Singapore on 19 February 2013

Reported by : Gan Yung Chyan
                     / KUCINTA SETIA
Also available at asiaperu.multiply.com till 30 November 2012

At least one week since the launch of budget Phuket-Shanghai flights by Juneyao Airlines, another airline has brought the Shanghai budget skies closer to home. Effective 19 February 2013, AirAsia and its long-haul affliate AirAsia X will launch direct connecting flights to Shanghai-Pudong via Kuala Lumpur International Airport-Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (KLIA-LCCT).

According to AirAsia's web-site, the code-sharing flight from Singapore to Pudong begins at 1.25 pm with flight code AK1810 and arrives in Shanghai-Pudong under AirAsia X flight code D7330 at 12.45 am on 20 February 2013 after at least an-hour transfer at LCCT.

AirAsia X departs from Shanghai-Pudong at 1.45 am on 20 February 2013 and returns to Singapore via a transfer at LCCT in a code-sharing arrangement with AirAsia under D7331/AK1809 at 12.45 pm.

All return flights are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays using A320 and A330/A340 aircrafts.

Currently, AirAsia X has connecting or code-sharing flights to Singapore from Chengdu, Beijing and Hangzhou in China via KLIA-LCCT. They are not considered as officially-direct as AirAsia X has not been given the light to launch direct scheduled flights to Singapore independently. It also has dozens or more connecting flights to Singapore from other parts of Asia-Pacific such as Bandar Seri Begawan, Taipei, Tokyo, Seoul, Gold Coast and Melbourne in the same arrangement with AirAsia. All flights do not involve any clearance at Malaysian Immigrations and Customs at KLIA-LCCT.

Sayacinta - airpost hopes that Scoot will be allowed to launch true-yellow direct low-cost long-haul flights from Singapore to Shanghai, Beijing, Dubai, Tokyo, Shizuoka and Seoul-Incheon using one type of aircraft in the years ahead.