In Equal Parts Optimism and Concern, AirAsia X Takes Flight

In this 2013 interview and on the eve of its Main market IPO, Air Asia X CEO Azran Osman Rani discusses the following issues: 

- The final price of 1.25 ringgit fixed in the middle of the bookbuilding range of between RM1.15

- RM1.45 per share;- Selling point - key reservations; 

- Capacity: regional competition: both AirAsia and Lion Air have placed sizeable orders -- in the region of 664 planes worth $64.4 billion at list prices - not to mention the Malindo threat to boot; 

- Offer for sale portion; - Retail allocation - said to be “groundbreaking” - reported poor response; 

- Valuation: seen as slightly too rich; 

- Maybank as the “stabilising manager” -- issues; 

- Route expansion -- issues; 

- Japan JV cancellation - issues - key lessons / templates for instruction; 

- India: a rationalised route previously, and now back on the cards as AA Bhd discusses inta-country JV issues; 

- Dividends as a more important component of investors’ total return - timetable to policy; 

- Reported plans to expand very aggressively – nearly tripling its fleet - fnances; 

- Debt levels - debt profilr -  ringgit weakening - US interest rates rising; 

- Revenue: charter flights and ancillary income are posting far higher growth rates than scheduled flights; 

- How will they be built on, expanded; 

- Interesting that in FY2012 ‘fuel surcharge’ amounting to 148 million ringgit was treated as ‘Revenue’; - Role on Malaysian Tourism Board;  

- The new low-cost terminal or KLIA2 - delays - culpability - completion; 

- Tourist arrivals static at c.24 million the last three years -- issues; 

- Social Media comments - racism - Utusan Malaysia -  PERKASA - backlash.