AirAsia.com Starts Selling Competitors’ Flights via Kiwi.com Partnership
Skift Take
It’s finally happened. AirAsia.com is selling other airlines on its website and app. Powered by Kiwi.com, it's a start. Getting direct contracts with airlines is next. Should online travel agencies continue to doubt AirAsia's foray into their turf? “Believe the unbelievable,” CEO Tony Fernandes said.
AirAsia.com on Friday added the flights of other carriers through a partnership with travel tech company Kiwi.com.
In a white label arrangement, Kiwi.com supplies the content and technology to enable AirAsia.com’s users to book travel on more than 100 airlines to destinations currently not served by AirAsia in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, and the Americas.
For starters, the destinations include London, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Madrid, and Auckland.
This marks the first time that an airline group is selling the fares of other carriers and is part of co-founder and CEO Tony Fernandes’ goal to transform the company beyond an airline business to an e-commerce player. AirAsia Group now describes itself as “a leading travel and financial platform company in Asia-Pacific, providing air transport, travel and lifestyle services, as well as financial services.”
The ambition raised the eyebrows of major online travel agencies.
“Today is an unbelievable day,” said Fernandes, who is also CEO of AirAsia.com. “When we started AirAsia as a low-cost airline back in 2001, I never thought one day we would be selling our competitors. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s never say never. Never say never an
