Cheap flights 'opening up the Far East'

The low-cost travel industry is beginning to expand across the world and will soon open up destinations in Asia for British travellers, it has been claimed.

Most low-fares airlines fly to destinations in Europe only but Investors Provident has claimed that this could soon change as carriers become more ambitious.

Hetal Shah, director of the company, gave the example of Air Asia X, which is set to begin flying to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia later this year.

Mr Shah described AirAsia's business as "a similar concept" to the one typified by easyJet.

"What easyJet has done to the European sector is what AirAsia X is trying to do for the Far Eastern sector," he added.

"I think they started with Hong Kong, and now they're going to Malaysia and are looking at other areas like Thailand, Singapore, India."

Mr Shah said the flights to these destinations are set to be "very cheap" and will therefore "open up the market".