The AirAsia group is looking at the possibility of stock market listings in Thailand and Indonesia, though plans are only at an exploratory stage.
A Thailand listing is possible in 2010 or 2011, but the plan is still at the conceptual stage right now, says Thai AirAsia CEO Tassapon Bijleveld. Malaysia based AirAsia holds a 49% stake in Thai AirAsia.
He declined to provide details on how much the carrier hopes to raise or the number of shares that may be issued, but did say the carrier has been working on the project "for a number of months." The funds would be used for aircraft and to increase liquidity.
"We need to be strong if the price of oil goes up again," he says. "The funds would be used mainly for aircraft or a rainy day."
An AirAsia spokesman also said that the company is exploring an Indonesia listing.
The two executives were responding to a Malaysian media report in which AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes reportedly said that "the plan is to list the AirAsia group in Thailand and later in Indonesia."
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news