Malaysia’s AirAsia Group Bhd plans to launch an air taxi service and the nation’s first drone supply service because the finances service seeks to diversify amid the coronavirus pandemic, the corporate’s CEO mentioned on Saturday.
As a part of the group’s diversification push, it additionally goals to launch a ride-hailing service subsequent month as COVID-19 continues to hit air journey.
“The air taxi may have a pilot and 4 seats. In the mean time, we now have our workforce engaged on this upcoming service by AirAsia,” Chief Government Tony Fernandes mentioned on the Youth Financial Discussion board 2021, state information company Bernama reported on Saturday.
The service ought to begin working in about 18 months, Fernandes was quoted as saying.
He additionally introduced that the airline’s logistics unit Teleport, which is at present testing an city drone supply service with state-backed agency Malaysian World Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC), would conduct its first business supply by the tip of this yr.
“The thought was introduced up three weeks in the past and now it is actuality,” he wrote on Instagram.
Fernandes mentioned the group was recovering from the influence of the pandemic and had used the chance to speed up its digital transformation, Bernama reported.
The struggling airline, which reported a fifth straight quarterly loss in November, has been searching for to lift 2.5 billion ringgit ($613.95 million) from loans and buyers.
Final month, it mentioned its 33%-owned Japanese unit, which ceased operations final October, had begun chapter proceedings.
