AirAsia ?Xcellence? touches down in Oakland
AirAsia second Airbus A340, carrying the branding of American Football team Oakland Raiders, and named ‘Xcellence’ to match the Raiders’ motto ‘Commitment to Excellence’ has landed in the USA for the first time.
AirAsia and the Oakland Raiders have partnered to expand the Raider’s fan base in Asia and to promote the AirAsia brand in the United States, preparig for the airline’s future entry into the US market.
AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes said, “This is a very proud moment for us. We are excited to associate ourselves with an iconic team like the Oakland Raiders as they reflect our own endeavour for excellence. This partnership would greatly enhance our efforts to boost our brand globally.
AirAsia X CEO, Azran Osman-Rani commented, “We're delighted to showcase this groundbreaking livery design in the US. We hope to capture the imagination of millions of NFL fans and introduce them to our proud AirAsia brand. By promoting the Southeast Asian region of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) in North America, we hope to help bring more travellers from this part of the world to our region, which will help boost tourism and local economies.”
Osman-Rani also said AirAsia X is now in the process of negotiations with airports in the United States over a possibility of operating flights into America. “US destinations are very much in our long term plans, as demonstrated by our recent order for 10 Airbus A350 aircraft. These planes would be delivered beginning 2016. However, we are exploring ways of commencing flights to the US much earlier than 2016,” added Osman-Rani.
Photo shows, from 4th left: Amy Trask, Oakland Raiders CEO; Tony Fernandes, AirAsia Group CEO; Mark Davis, Oakland Raiders owner; Ron Dellums, Oakland City Mayor; Dr Jamaludin Jarjis, Malaysian Ambassador to the US, flanked by AirAsia cabin crew.
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