KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 — Malaysia-based AirAsia Group introduced today a new application dubbed AirAsia Digital to connect its growing business with customers.

AirAsia Group chief executive Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said the "super app” is an all-in-one platform covering cashless payments, food delivery, shopping, entertainment and travel and hopes it will promote the conglomerate as more than just an airline.

"Over the next few years, people would know us for just selling airline tickets,” he said at a briefing here.

Fernandes explained that AirAsia’s push for a "super app” began in 2018, but had now accelerated due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The platform is also meant to be another revenue stream for the AirAsia Group after its aviation segment was hit hard by the economic impact of Covid-19, he added.

"We always had this idea that we didn’t want one source of income from the airline and you see digital companies have benefited from Covid-19 while airlines such as ours have suffered dramatically,” he said.

The platforms in question include the AirAsia website along with its mobile app that will place all of its digital initiatives under one roof.

Apart from flight bookings, other features in the app include AirAsia’s logistics service, Teleport; its rewards programme, BIGLIFE; virtual bank and future marketplace, BigPay; as well as its food and beverage franchise, Santan, among others.

Fernandes explained that it has always been the company’s goal to develop a super app for South-east Asia, adding that it will complement other established regional apps such as Grab and Gojek rather than act as a direct competitor.

He went on to say that the platform will not be limited to apps or initiatives under the AirAsia Group and will be open to other apps so long as they offer great added value to customers.

The super app launch is slated for October 8 with further details to be furnished closer to the date.