AirAsiaX gets FAA nod to fly to the US

Kuala Lumpur

AIRASIA'S long-haul unit AirAsiaX has received clearance from the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) to fly to any destination within the United States, and is considering Hawaii as well as a number of other US states.

"This is a major milestone for AirAsiaX," AirAsia group chief executive officer Kamarudin Meranun said in a statement on Tuesday, noting that the carrier would be the first Asian budget airline to secure approval to operate scheduled passenger flights to the US. He added that the group's expansion had up till now been focused on Asia, Australasia and the Middle East, "and we are excited about our first foray into an entirely new market as we look beyond the Asia-Pacific".