You may know AirAsia for their cheap flight tickets and short-lived food delivery service back in 2021.
Did you know that AirAsia has a ride-hailing service as well? AirAsia is a jack of all trades regarding different transport modes.
AirAsia’s ride-hailing service is called AirAsia Ride. Say hello to the future competition of Grab, GoJek and CDG Zig.
Possible S’pore Launch in June 2023
AirAsia’s parent company, Capital A, is looking towards launching AirAsia Ride in Singapore next June.
The CEO of Capital A, Tony Fernandes, announced this plan at an AirAsia SuperApp rider and driver appreciation event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 12 January 2023.
He later explained that Capital A is currently applying for a license to operate AirAsia Ride here in Singapore. If all goes well, the launch will take place in June 2023.
The company plans to expand to other cities in Malaysia in the same timeframe. They are also looking towards expanding their ride-hailing services to the Philippines.
AirAsia Ride’s Reach in Southeast Asia
Capital A first launched AirAsia Ride in Kuala Lumpur in August 2021.
AirAsia Ride shared in a press release that over 53,000 registered drivers are on its platform and have completed two million rides as of October 2022.
AirAsia Ride is up for rides (pun intended) in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. It will be another ride-hailing service to look out for when you travel to our neighbouring countries.
Mr Fernandes also proudly shared at the event that there are at least 400 full-time drivers on AirAsia Ride across the three countries. With its imminent launch in Singapore, this number is set to increase.
Big Planes, Big Rides
Just like its big planes, AirAsia has big ride plans for Singapore. AirAsia is ambitious with its plans for AirAsia Ride to break into the Singapore market.
At the event, AirAsia Ride’s regional Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Lim Chiew Shan, asserted that Capital A has big targets for profits for AirAsia Ride in Singapore.
They are targeting to break into the Singapore ride-hailing market and see profit by this year. They are working towards becoming the first ever ride-hailing company to make a profit within two years of launching.
There are so many ride-hailing services on the market, but only a few, such as Grab, Gojek and CDG Zig, have stood the test of time. New entrants have tried to break through the market but have failed. One includes the Indian-based service Jugnoo, which faltered after three months.
Hopefully, with AirAsia Ride, we can expect cheaper ride fares soon. My bank account is crying every time I switch between the ride-hailing applications comparing the surging prices.
Featured Image: AirAsia Ride, Capital A