AirAsia Group Bhd has officially launched its e-hailing service, AirAsia Ride, as one of the offerings within the group’s super app. It aims to benefit passengers with greater convenience and more competitive prices, as well as drivers with better income opportunity.

At present, the AirAsia Ride service is available only within the Klang Valley, although there are plans already in place to expand the service to other states – including Penang, Johor, Kelantan, Sabah, and Sarawak – by the end of 2021. In terms of functionality, AirAsia Ride works pretty much the same as other e-hailing services; you are able to book a ride by entering your pick-up and drop-off destinations.

That said, one of the things that makes AirAsia Ride somewhat interesting is the types of rides that you can choose from. There are options such as:

• Allstar
• Anyride
• Compact
• 6-seater
• Taxi
• Premium
• Premium MPV

Each option is, of course, distinctively different, targeting different needs among passengers. There are the more common Anyride and Compact Ride options, which let you find the closest or more affordable ride, respectively. There is also the pretty special Allstar Ride option that lets you get picked up by AirAsia pilots or cabin crew. Fares on AirAsia Ride are set at an average of RM1 per kilometre, excluding toll charges. You can book on-demand rides or pre-book your rides in advance.

Aside from that, passengers will soon be able to use their BIG Points to pay for their rides, enabling them to enjoy lower fares in addition to free rides. There are also plans to allow customers to pre-book AirAsia Ride for their journey to and from the airport, as well as to partner with electric vehicles and spearhead the drive for sustainability.

The chief executive officer of the AirAsia super app, Amanda Woo said that this latest move is part of AirAsia’s continuous digital transformation journey to become the top super app in the ASEAN region. “We have been championing air mobility by flying over 700 million people around the world over the past 20 years, and with AirAsia Ride, we aim to empower people to move around more easily, making full use of the AirAsia super app technology to enjoy amazing experiences,” she shared.

Meanwhile, the chief executive officer of AirAsia Ride, Lim Chiew Shan highlighted that AirAsia Ride implements a “driver-forward” concept that enables its driver fleet to improve their overall income. According to AirAsia, its driver partners will take 85% of the net fares (excluding toll charges) – which is higher than the rate offered by other ride-hailing services in the market.

“At the moment, we have about 1,500 registered drivers and with our nationwide expansion, we expect 5,000 more to come onboard in the next six months,” said Lim, adding that drivers will find AirAsia Ride to be a viable part-time job option and side income opportunity. AirAsia also said that its fleet of drivers are 100% vaccinated for Covid-19, with the drivers to be tested regularly.

For context, AirAsia had previously confirmed its intention to venture into ride hailing back in March 2021, saying that this was part of its push for business diversification. According to local tech site, Lowyat.NET, AirAsia Ride appears to be the result of AirAsia’s acquisition of local ride-hailing platform, Dacsee.

If you’d like to give AirAsia Ride a try, there is currently an ongoing introductory promotion that lets you get RM3 off for your first ride (“AARIDE3”), valid between today until 30 September 2021. Head on over to the AirAsia Ride webpage to find out more.

(Sources: AirAsia, The Edge Markets)

• TAGS:
• AirAsia
• AirAsia BIG Points
• AirAsia Ride
• Amanda Woo
• Lim Chiew Shan