(April 12): Capital A, the parent of Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia, has taken the first step toward bringing flying taxis to the masses in Southeast Asia while taking another leap toward transforming its brand, said Nikkei Asia.

Under AirAsia's model, the operation will start as a link between Kuala Lumpur's city centre and the international airport, which will reduce the hourlong trip by car to a mere 17 minutes. The fare is expected to cost less than US$50 per person if four people share the same air taxi, Nikkei Asia said.