Malaysia's budget airline AirAsia has secured rights to fly to six destinations in China, chief executive officer Tony Fernandes said on Thursday. 

He named Xiamen in southeastern China as one of the routes but would not identify the others.

AirAsia will launch the Bangkok-Xiamen route next month and hopes to start operations on the five other routes within 12 months, he said.

The company has also won rights to fly to Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia and will begin service on these new routes within the year, depending on the rollout of its new planes, Fernandes said.

AirAsia has confirmed orders for 40 Airbus planes and is planning to raise that to 60, with an option for an additional 40, he said.

The airline expects to take delivery of the first batch of Airbus planes in September, or by December at the latest.

AirAsia currently operates in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Macao.

Asked about the impact of high oil prices on the company's earnings, Fernandes said: "We are comfortable with the prevailing high oil prices as we still have upside in our revenue."

He declined to comment on whether the company will meet its net earnings forecast of 159.88 million ringgit (US$42 million) for the year to June 2005.

The budget carrier reported a net profit of 54.85 million ringgit for the first half to December.

(CRI.com March 25, 2005)