With planes grounded, AirAsia is looking to two-wheeled transport to drive business.
 
With hefty losses in millions during the pandemic, Malaysia-based airline AirAsia announced yesterday that it has jumped into the highly competitive food delivery industry in Thailand by kicking off AirAsia Food.
 
Fighting competitors such as FoodPanda, Grab, Lineman, and newcomer Robinhood, the app offers free delivery for all orders within a six-kilometer radius until the end of September. 
 
From today until Sep 16, the app will also offer 30,000 free meals. The partnering restaurants include up-and-coming coffee chain Flash Coffee, Cafe Amazon, and McDonald’s. Customers can apply the code FREEMEALS to receive the special offer, which is limited to 1,000 per day.
 
The food delivery service is available only in four of the capital city’s districts for now: Din Daeng, Chatuchak, Lat Phrao, and Huai Khwang. More districts in Bangkok–Phayathai, Ratchathewi, Pathumwan, and Watthana–will be added to the service in the coming weeks. The company is also eyeing expansions in other popular provinces such as Chiang Mai and Phuket.
 
The new business venture comes weeks after the airline held a controversial town hall where one employee was filmed being insulted by Thai CEO Tassapon Bijleveld. It also follows the recent acquisition of Gojek’s operations in Thailand.
 
Last year, AirAsia reported more than a billion ringgit (B7.8 billion) in losses as the pandemic battered the travel industry. It also laid off hundreds of employees to stem losses. The airline introduced food delivery services in Singapore earlier this year. 
 
As soon as October, another popular brand might further shake up the food delivery scene, as Shopee is expected to enter the fold, too. 
 
This story originally appeared on Coconuts Bangkok