AirAsia expects to start flights to China by next month, perhaps through it's Thai affiliate Thai Air Asia, which is 49 percent owned by Shin Corp.
Thai AirAsia, which started up in February last year, already operates flights between Bangkok and Macau, Penang and Singapore plus serving a host of domestic destinations in Thailand.
Although there has not been a corresponding surge, yet, in air catastrophes, questions about safety are likely to impede the popularity of low-budget travel among international tourists in many markets.
"It's still mostly domestic passengers who are using these," said Dudi Sudibyo, a local aviation industry expert in Indonesia. "A lot of foreigners are suspicious of safety records. Where do they cut costs? Maintenance? Training of pilots?"
That may be true for tourists coming from Europe or the Americas, but expats living in the region have already cottoned on to the low-cost bargains, industry sources say.
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