Sale of McDonald's Lunch Meal Down 582 percent

On the 23rd of May 2011, the usual lunch hour crowd targeting McDonald's Lunch Value Meal Combo dropped by 582 percent. While inversely, internet traffic in commercial buildings around Klang Valley surged 283 percent.

According to internet traffic trends consultant, FN Dennis from Bytestopia, this anomaly was due to the yearly Big Sale (Zero Fares or occassionally fairly close to zero cents) by AirAsia. This year's highlight:
Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Tokyo (Haneda) for a mere RM 25.10 with No Fuel Surcharge for this route. Including baggage allowance and perhaps a meal, the total return airfare will cost less than RM 100.00.
The chance to launch the three other anticipated destinations - Kathmandu, Maldives and a US city - was not materialised.

AirAsiaX Switches To General Electric

AirAsiaX switches to General Electric engines from Rolls Royce on a US$600 million deal. Perhaps some unusually problematic engine incidence in 2010 experienced by Qantas triggered a review.

Richard Branson joins AirAsia X on 1st May 2011

In a classic racing challenge, where Virgin Racing Team had lost to Lotus Racing Team of AirAsia, Richard Branson will join AirAsia X on 1st May 2011 to serve as a flight attendant designated as a "stewardess" inferring that he would be made to wear the female flight attendant's costume.

The flight is on AirAsia X - the long-haul service. So which flight destination could it be? How would you react to see Branson serving you on a long-haul flight? Would you be too sleepy to have a chat, or so eager to meet the man/woman in person and have an autograph signed, or perhaps an autograph on his book.

    

The books above are trademark Branson. A powerful branding personality. Even his book title hints of eye-catching and mind-catching marketing mentality.

Losing My Virginity: How I've Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way
Book Review
The book was, to my delight, a very interesting read. "Losing My Virginty" reads like a novel and I would say that it was as interesting as both "Memoirs or a Geisha" and the "Harry Potter" series. Yet the book was full of lessons in a variety of business fields; entrepreneurship and risk-taking being at the forefront of those fields. In its value as a business book, I would compare it to "Lessons from the Top" and "The Millionnaire Next Door", both of which were a much less gripping read. However, "Losing my Virginity" is different from those two books in that it is primarily about "World Class Entrepreneurship".
Branson takes the reader on a trip back to the 60's and 70's when Virgin took off and gradually leads you into the "jetstream" of his turbulant life. You will enjoy the ride.

This is definitely a book that I thoroughly enjoyed and earnestly recommend to anyone, not necessarily to businessmen, just to anyone who wants to make the most of his/her life.

Richard Branson used the book well on many occasions to tell his side of the story and to clarify to the public certain events that may have not been fully disclosed in that way during the time of their occurance.

He also talks freely about matters, which a conventionial bussinessman would find out of place, beyong the point or even downright embarrassing. Those "personal" moments are actually the essence of what this book is all about. The book is about Branson's life and Virgin Group is just that, a very large chunk of Branson's life.


“Richard is good-looking and very smart, which is sexy to start with. He also makes a billion dollars before breakfast—and still knows how to have fun."
-- Ivana Trump
“Few people in contemporary business are as colorful, shrewd, and irreverent, and probably no one’s nearly as much fun to be around. . . . Branson embodies America’s cherished mythology of the iconoclastic, swashbuckling entrepreneur."
-- GQ
“Branson wears his fame and money exceedingly well: no necktie, no chauffeur, no snooty clubs. . . . What continues to set Branson apart is the unique -- and, to some, baffling -- nature of his ambition. . . . He isn’t interested in power in the usual sense of influencing other people. . . . Boiled down to its singular essence, Richard Branson just wants to have fun.”
-- Newsweek
“Branson, a self-described ‘adventure capitalist,’ is a business-creation engine who was clearly born in the wrong place. . . . Those business instincts are matched by an ability to motivate people who work for him. And who wouldn’t want to -- Branson seems hell-bent on making sure that everybody, but everybody, is having as much fun as he is.”
-- Time
“Richard Branson . . . is dressed to the nines: in a $10,000 white silk bridal gown with a traditional veil and train and acres of lace. . . . Branson is expected to do the unexpected, even the bizarre -- anything to publicize his latest venture. . . . The fact is, Branson’s widely reported stunts seem almost staid compared to the unconventional way he manages his burgeoning empire.”
-- Forbes ASAP


Screw It, Let's Do It: Lessons in Life and Business 
Book Review: The global icon shares his secrets of success and exciting plans for the future.

Throughout my life I have achieved many remarkable things. In Screw It, Let's Do It, I will share with you my ideas and the secrets of my success, but not simply because I hope they'll help you achieve your individual goals.

Today we are increasingly aware of the effects of our actions on the environment, and I strongly believe that we each have a responsibility, as individuals and organisations, to do no harm. I will draw on Gaia Capitalism to explain why we need to take stock of how we may be damaging the environment, and why it is up to big companies like Virgin to lead the way in a more holistic approach to business.

In Screw It, Let's Do It I'll be looking forwards to the future. A lot has changed since I founded Virgin in 1968, and I'll explain how I intend to take my business and my ideas to the next level and the new and exciting areas - such as launching Virgin Fuels - into which Virgin is currently moving.

New AirAsia to Kathmandu in June 2011

Great news to hiking, mountaineering and camping enthusiasts. Outdoor's great escape is here at an affordable price.

Air Asia will fly into Kathmandu, Nepal in June 2011.
There will be 4 times a week flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia into Kathmandu, Nepal.

Get prices all in one page from Priceline, Agoda, Bookings, LastMinute, compare reviews and total cost and fees, then decide on the best option Even same hotels may have different pricing on different booking systems because of their bulk discount quotas and bag the best deal at the time of your search, saving time and effort from a single hotel information system.

    

Prices are expected to be competitive so that Everyone Could Fly. So expect prices at least 50% off regular full-service commercial airlines. What is their current prices? About 1000-2000RM. With an aggregate of 50% off those rates, you can snag a return flight for close to 500 RM or about 180 USD.

A Thousand And One Nights in Saudi Arabia by Air Asia X

Air Asia X is awaiting regulatory approval to fly into Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. So a likelihood to see the land of "A Thousand And One Nights" or "Arabian Nights" will be a possibility soon.

It seems like a riskier move than going into Sydney or Japan - or any little city in China or India. The management's viewpoint is there is a huge demand during the summer months June, July and August and will be a gateway for Middle East travellers to use Air Asia X into Kuala Lumpur, and then go onward flights to the hundred over routes served.

Personally, even flight into Tehran seems out of place. To put a foothold into the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA), would need more homework and research. The travelling culture is very different. The first try into MENA by flying to Abu Dhabi was not fruitful, and the route was scrapped after several months.

To weigh in the options, the destination has to have a purchasing power or travelling power. Stable in both politics and finance. Potential traffic. So for MENA, it is definitely a tough decision to qualify a destination, simply because there is not many. Even the finance centre of Dubai, the local population is very small. And most of the people who work there, or based there, are fed by their big corporate account, bonuses, and literally paid to travel Business and First Class. There simply is no backpacker or budget traveller mentality nor low cost culture.

Air Asia wants to be a budget carrier and it is a budget carrier. But it should not misplace that idea and lump it into shuttling third-level workers, miners, maids or construction labourers.

Bangkok to Bali Fares Including Taxes

To have a good comparison of how Air Asia airfares fare, I made some comparison with the competitors. These are prices by major commercial airlines and prices includes taxes and fuel surcharges (prices are in THB Thai Baht). The front fare is One Way and the other is Return Fare:
Garuda Indonesia Airlines - GA via Jakarta 10,900 13,000 5 days Depart Bangkok within 31 Mar 11
via Jakarta 10,900 17,500 10 days Depart Bangkok within 31 Mar 11

Malaysia Airlines - MH via KL 9,200 16,000 1 month
via KL 9,200 14,800 1 month/GV2 Min 2 paxs travel, rate per person

Singapore Airlines - SQ via Singapore 12,200 15,200 1 month minimum stay 5 days
via Singapore 12,200 16,500 1 month no minimum stay required

Thai Airways - TG Direct flight 17,900 16,100 1 month/low/GV2 Min 2 paxs depart 03Jan-09Apr, 14Apr-30Jun,01Oct-25Dec
Direct flight 17,900 18,100 1 month/high/GV2 Min 2 paxs depart 10-13Apr, 26Dec-02Jan, Jul,Aug,Sep
Direct flight 17,900 18,600 3 month/low depart 03Jan-09Apr, 14Apr-30Jun,01Oct-25Dec
Direct flight 17,900 19,600 3 month/high depart 10-13Apr, 26Dec-02Jan, Jul,Aug,Sep
Direct flight 17,900 22,600 6 months/low depart 03Jan-09Apr, 14Apr-30Jun,01Oct-25Dec
Direct flight 17,900 25,200 6 months/high depart 10-13Apr, 26Dec-02Jan, Jul,Aug,Sep

On average the price is over 13500 Baht for a return flight. The lowest price by Garuda goes via Jakarta and has a absurd limit of 5 days duration.

So Air Asia still is unbeatable. Current prices without those discounts are hovering around 7000 Baht for a return flight.

Track Flight Status and Airport Delays

With the advent of low-cost airlines such as AirAsia, RyanAir, Air Berlin, Jetstar, Tiger Airways – the way consumers use the internet to plan, search and book for these flights have increased tremendously. Similarly, the tools and information related to air travel increased complementing the demand.

One big scenario passengers dread is a delay in a flight. Or a flight been changed. Re-routed. Or simply cancelled. Yes the second most important advise is to buy travel insurance. And even yearly travel insurance cost around just 100 USD in most Asean countries.

While why not tap on our fingers and try to get the flight status of our designated flight from the comforts of the internet? My favourite site is Flightstats.com – checking on flights is a breeze.

Check by flight number, by Airline, by destination – and surprisingly very fast output and results. Can’t imagine how the underlying system works. With hundreds of airlines databases, airport databases and almost instant updates on flight delays, estimation and even expected delays. They probably have a tie-in with the weatherman!

Checking the flight your family or friend is on is also a breeze. Plus detailed estimation of arrival time.
Track Flight Status, Airport Delays and other Flight and Airport Information.
AirAsia flight delay, AirAsia flight status, flight estimation, Flightstats, Track Airport Delays, Track Flight Status