AIRASIA Group Berhad continues to focus on survival and restructuring, as travel behavior is expected to return to normal by 2022, its top official said.

鈥淚f there鈥檚 a crisis, there are opportunities, and we feel it鈥檚 a great chance to restructure, reenergize and come back stronger. I believe 2021 will be a much, much better year than 2020. I鈥檓 anticipating that by June, things will begin to normalize. By 2022, we鈥檒l start to see normal behavior coming out,鈥 AirAsia Group Chief Executive Officer Anthony Francis 鈥淭ony鈥 Fernandes said at Go Negosyo鈥檚 online conference on Monday.

The group currently focuses on 鈥渟urvival鈥 and 鈥渂eing positive鈥 amid the ongoing global health crisis, Mr. Fernandes added.

鈥淚t鈥檚 also about restructuring our business. It鈥檚 about cash. It鈥檚 about helping those within the ecosystem鈥攊t鈥檚 about re-pivoting, and that鈥檚 what we have been doing,鈥 he continued.

AirAsia also announced on Monday that its logistics venture, Teleport, has completed the rollout of its delivery services in 70 cities in Southeast Asia, including Manila, Bacolod, Cebu, Davao, General Santos, Iloilo, Kalibo, Puerto Princesa, Tacloban, Tagbilaran, Clark, Cagayan de Oro, and Zamboanga, 鈥渙ver the last 30 days.鈥

鈥淏usinesses in any of these 70 cities can now partner with Teleport to have items instantly delivered to their customers within one hour,鈥 it said in a statement.

Teleport Chief Executive Officer Pete Chareonwongsak said, 鈥淪oon, businesses can experience 24-hour express deliveries between cities as well as cross-border deliveries.鈥

鈥淭he goal is by next year, with a click of a button, you can send almost anything instantly to anywhere AirAsia flies to,鈥 he added.

The group is banking on its digital business to help its airline operations recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

In September, AirAsia Group Executive Chairman Datuk Kamarudin Meranun said the airline group expects its digital segment to become 鈥渁nother core business.鈥 鈥 Arjay L. Balinbin

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